Everything I do
by gally1
Summary: LAST CHAPTER UP! Please read and review! Sarah & Jareth have to prove their love for one another. Sarah returns to the Labyrinth to run the gauntlet. What will Jareth do?
1. Prologue The first cut is the deepest

A/n: This is my first 'Labyrinth' fan-fic so please be gentle with me. By the way, I thrive on comments so please feel free to read and review.  
  
Disclaimer: Sarah, Jareth and all other mainstream characters from the Labyrinth do not belong to me.  
  
Synopsis: Sarah & Jareth have to prove their love for one another. Sarah runs the gauntlet again, but what will Jareth do?  
  
Everything I do  
  
Prologue - The first cut is the deepest  
  
The soft white downy feathers on his chest ruffled as the breeze twirled around the tree he was sitting in. Watching the scene through the window in front of him, he couldn't help but feel that he should be in there, right now, offering himself to her, giving her her dreams. His heart ached at the sight of her, any thoughts of them being together pushed away into the recess of his mind as he realised he now had no control, had no power, but he loved. He loved her with a passion he couldn't understand; at no time in his long life had he ever experienced anything so strong, it being the result of her control and power over him. Funny thing was she was too young to understand any of it.  
  
The party that was going on before him was full of happiness and delight as many of those attending jumped up and down and danced around merrily. She was there, in the middle of the throng, hugging her friends and laughing among them; the broad smile on her face showing she was glad to be back after her trip through his labyrinth and even gladder to have her friends there with her. She obviously hadn't expected them to come and she had eagerly welcomed all of the creatures she had encountered on her journey. Brightly coloured streamers were thrown around the room, spiralling out of control as they collided with inanimate objects and surfaces or twisted around protruding limbs, catching into hair or around ears. Many of the bobbing heads were wearing sparkly party hats and some of the individuals even blew through noisemakers. More noise spilled through the gaps around the window, it was music and he recognised the haunting tune, sending a shiver coursing through his veins.  
  
Taking a well-earned breather she moved from the crowd and took up a position by the window, she rested her right knee on the window seat and leant her slender figure against the frame. The faraway look on her face made him believe that she was looking for something or someone, her mind drifting off a million miles away or to another world. 'I do hope you're not thinking of me,' he contemplated edging along the branch towards the trunk in order to stay unseen. 'You've bewitched me, although I do not believe I have returned the favour.' He couldn't quite make out the myriad of emotions that were crossing her face but he knew there was pain, anger and an ultimate feeling of loss. Perhaps she was thinking about what she had done and said, or what she hadn't done and said, maybe even thinking of regret.  
  
He noticed her jump slightly as the damned dwarf came over to her placing his hand on her elbow. She looked down to him as he spoke, the river of her chestnut hair flowing down over her chest as she moved her head. Eventually she was back in the core of the activity and once again the owl twitched his beak and fluttered his wings at the immediate loss of her face. He now realised what he had needed and wanted all of those years before. He knew it was her he had sought before either one had known the other existed and he knew in time that she would want and need him too.  
  
He only wished that she had given into him that very day but he knew it would have been wrong, after all he never wanted the boy and she was definitely too young. She wasn't yet a woman but a stubborn, ungrateful little girl and he needed to feel the love of a strong-minded, engaging and beautiful adult that would be his equal in every way. And he knew she would be, in time, when she realised what it was that she sought, he only hoped that by that time she hadn't forgotten any of her beloved fairy stories and, more especially, him. It might take some time but that's what he had, he would wait forever if he had to. But she wasn't ready yet, and that hurt . badly.  
  
Making his way back along the branch he opened his wings, the sandy and ochre feathers with their grey freckles dancing in the moonlight. Leaping from the bough he swooped down circling away to fly by her window for one last second before he flew off into the night sky, his parting thought a whisper on the wind, 'I will be back, Sarah, one day when you call for me!' 


	2. Dreams & reality

A/n: I'm not very good with these author's notes thingy's, but I do hope you all enjoyed the prologue and will hopefully enjoy the rest of the story that at present lurks in my tired brain. Please read and review - the more I get the more I'll want to write.  
  
Disclaimer: Sarah, Jareth and all other mainstream characters from the Labyrinth do not belong to me.  
  
Synopsis: Sarah & Jareth have to prove their love for one another. Sarah runs the gauntlet again, but what will Jareth do?  
  
Everything I do  
  
Chapter 1 - Dreams & Reality  
  
The moonlight shone through the net curtains, white light cascading onto Sarah's raised knee, as she lay awake thinking about the dream she had just awoken from. She nibbled on the nail of her left index finger as her right hand helped to raise her head from her pillow. Contemplation written all over her face, deciding what the right thing to do was. Her latest dream filled encounters, with the Goblin King, were taking on new ground. She was sure that these were visions of the future, why else would they include them both in settings that were only familiar to her, settings that were here, on earth. She knew it was here as in many of these scenes they walked together through the local village or around the streets of London, one even had them on a vacation in York. Perhaps, after all, it wasn't Jareth. It could be someone who looked and sounded remarkably like him. Gone were the medieval type clothing, the coloured shadow round his eyes and that long spiky hair, to be replaced by something 'normal', to her environment anyway, but she knew instinctively that it was he. Which meant that another boyfriend was about to bite the dust. Shame really, she could imagine spending some more time with this one, it certainly had been the longest relationship she had in a while and the most exciting.  
  
She looked to her left noticing that her latest beau's unclothed body was turned away from her. At least that would make for an easier escape. Sighing, she glanced at the clock on the table next to her side of the bed. It read 3.30. If she were going to do this now, instead of waiting till daylight, then she would have to do it quickly and quietly.  
  
Reaching for the dressing gown that hung over the arm of the chair to her right, she slipped it over her naked frame, tying the belt for good measure. She had spent many nights with many different men but now that she had come to this decision, no one would see her like this until she was ready. She gracefully picked up her strewn clothes and her bag, from the couples earlier showdown, and made her way into the en-suite, shutting and locking the door behind her. She showered and dressed, brushing her teeth and then her knotted hair before making the final leg of her journey through the bedroom and out to freedom. Opening the door she stepped back into the shadows of the room.  
  
"You lost?" Gary said, as he sat up in bed, resting his back against the headboard. He had switched the bedside light on when he heard her come back into the room.  
  
Bewildered eyes rested on her now clothed figure as she made her way to sit by him on the edge of the bed. Taking a deep breath, she took his left hand in her own and looked to him. "Gary, I'm sorry, this is never going to work."  
  
"And why do you say that?" His handsome features looking uncertain as his face took on a stern expression.  
  
God, she had thought she had loved him, realising that it must have been lust that had got in the way. She had been attracted to him immediately, although he had the same colouring and look as Jareth, he was nothing like him. He was determined but not stubborn, charming but not arrogant and above all he would have lain his life down for her. She hated herself for everything she had become, and for what she was about to do, again. "I can't do this, I can't make love to you when I know you have feelings for me that I don't have for you. I don't love you. I never will."  
  
His expression was of sadness but of understanding too. "I know!" He said, "I was actually wondering how far we would get before you laid this on me. You know I was so happy when you accepted my invitation to go out one night, thought I'd cracked it, thought I'd be the one to stop you looking for the impossible, but once we had been together a couple of weeks I knew you would be on your way soon. I've known you for a long time, Sarah, we've been very good friends for years and I've seen what you put other men through. I hoped that I could put an end to the spell that surrounds you, but I can't. You need to stop searching for what you want because I really do think you already know where to look to find what you've been looking for, for so long."  
  
She stared in shock, could she really have just heard what Gary had said, that he knew she was searching for the impossible here on earth. He obviously didn't know about Jareth and the Underground, but he knew that she had already met her true love, her soul mate and was trying to recreate that in the men that she had chosen to go out with. Feeling that a British accent was also a necessity she had made the move to England 9 years previously. "How could you . know? I mean, what did I do for you to be able to recognise that I love someone else?"  
  
"Sarah, I know you. I know how fond you are of your fairy stories and your dream like existence; I've seen the look that clouds your eyes when your thinking about things, about whoever it is that has stolen your heart. If you were thinking of me, or any of your previous boyfriends, then you would have that same dreamy look . but you never have had. Even sometimes when we have be making out you have seemed to be miles away." He shrugged and smirked uneasily afraid of her reaction to his honesty.  
  
"Oh god, Gary. I'm so sorry. I always thought I could hide my thoughts whilst . well, you know," she stammered, after all they hadn't really been making love had they, Gary had even admitted that it was more just like raw sex than the actual act of physically expressing their love for one another.  
  
He reached his free hand out to her hair and pushed the bangs back around her ear, smiling he added, "I'm sorry honey, but I could always tell when you were with me and when you weren't. Now I guess I know why you never wanted any of my stuff round at your place and why you never left anything here."  
  
"Yeah, I guess. I hope we can still be friends!"  
  
"Maybe, just promise me one thing."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Promise me you'll find your prince?"  
  
Sarah smiled, and saluted before saying, "I promise. I guess I should get going." She lent into him brushing a parting kiss on his cheek before letting go of his hand and getting up from the bed. "Goodnight, Gary. I'll be seeing you!" She said from the doorway.  
  
"Yeah, bye Sarah. Good Luck!"  
  
"Thanks, you too." She let go of the frame and made her way through the house. She was soon back in the familiar surroundings of her car and just as quickly back in her own home. She made her way to the small box room at the back of the building, which was her office shedding all but her skimpy vest and panties as she went. She went to the small bureau at the far side of the room. Kneeling in front of the double doors she opened them and pulled out the large shoebox that she had covered with rose paper many years before. This was one of her boxes of memories, memories of times gone by but not forgotten. In this box were her most treasured possessions. She settled herself against the arm of the couch as she gently lifted the lid, disturbing the settled dust. She pulled out the small journal that she had kept and placed it to the side, she didn't need that as she could quite clearly remember all of the events that had taken place on that night 15 years ago. It was the pictures she was after. For days after her meeting with and final victory of the goblin king she had set about drawing. It was all well and good describing what had happened and what she had seen but she wanted to have pictures, images that she could quickly review if she ever needed to. And right now she needed to.  
  
She had turned into quite an accomplished artist, so much so that many of the people she knew well enough to show her drawings too thought that this may have been her chosen profession, since she no longer dreamt of becoming an actress like her mother. She scanned through the pictures on the top; they had all been of the labyrinth itself and of her friends, Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Didymus and his steed, Ambrosias. She finally came to the ones she wanted, the ones of him.  
  
She couldn't remember doing so many but obviously she had, some were pen and ink, whilst others were merely pencil, others were of charcoal or pastel and some were even painted. She got up from her seat, found the ball of blue sticky tack she had on her desk and started attaching the pictures to any patches of bare wall she could find. Admiring her gallery when she had finished she realised that they had all been drawn from memory, she had never exceeded the scope only putting down onto paper what she had ever seen.  
  
A set of drawers sat next to her desk, which contained all of her art supplies. Reaching into them she pulled out paper and pencils and extracted her drawing board from behind the couch. She sat herself comfortably and positioned the board on her legs. With a profusion she had only experienced in her younger days, she set about creating a contemporary portrait of the man she hadn't seen for so long but her brief was different, she wanted to know what he would look like in her world, and ultimately if he was like the man haunting her dreams.  
  
She must have been there for a few hours, drawing and sketching at a furious pace, removing lines that were in the wrong place, defining the lines of his smiling eyes and mouth, and smudging shadows, around the edge of his nose and under his jaw line. Once finished she immediately positioned her final piece with the others. It took pride of place as she stood before it wondering and imagining if he would truly be like that.  
  
"I suppose," she muttered, "that there is only one way to find out, and after all, I did promise Gary. However," she said smirking at the newly finished portrait, "you will have to wait until later, I'm too exhausted at the moment to fight with you, Jareth."  
  
She left the confine of her office to seek the solitude and warmth of her own bed, slipping beneath the covers without even changing into the usual slip she slept in. Sleep quickly evaded her and she again began to dream, dream of what the future might hold for her if they truly were reflecting her hopes and desires.  
  
Outside the window of the office, Jareth in owl form had watched all that had transpired within that room over the last couple of hours. The pictures that Sarah had drawn were truly remarkable. She certainly had a gift. He inspected the new drawing when she pinned it to the wall with the others and he shuddered, he had seen that face before, it had been his in his imaginings of the last few months in fact. He had always known that he had been with Sarah, but he had never recognised any of the places in his thoughts, they certainly were not of his world, and what about the way he looked and was attired in his dreams. He didn't know what was meant but he knew one person that did. She had sketched as much and left it on her wall. There was so much feeling in that picture too. So much love and desire. He could feel and see it. And because of it he knew she would be coming to him and soon.  
  
He flew from the branch catching a thermal as he went. "I think I will be seeing you very soon, milady, my love," and with that he was gone. 


	3. The challenge

Disclaimer: Sarah, Jareth and all other mainstream characters from the Labyrinth do not belong to me.  
  
Synopsis: Sarah & Jareth have to prove their love for one another. Sarah runs the gauntlet again, but what will Jareth do?  
  
Everything I do  
  
Chapter 2 - The challenge  
  
The day had dragged. So much so, that she had decided to shut up shop at 2.00 pm. After all, she needed to have her dinner and as business had been very slow she felt coming back after lunch would be unbearable. But first she had an errand to run.  
  
After locking up, she turned and walked directly opposite the street to the Post Office. She waited in the small queue until it was her turn, forgetting that today was benefit day and all of the elderly people, of her and the neighbouring villages, would descended on the tiny one-man business. Finally reaching the counter she asked the assistant for the stamps she needed and when they had exchanged money for tokens she moved to the side to affix them to the letters that she needed to send. She made her way out of the shop and put the envelopes into the awaiting red box outside.  
  
Briefly waving to her neighbour, and local gossip, Hattie Wareham, she continued on her way up the high street to take the second turning on her left. A few yards more and she stood outside her inviting 'chocolate box' thatched cottage. She walked through the gate and shut it behind her as she surveyed the small garden to the front of the property. Jacob, Hattie's husband, had outdone himself that weekend. She no longer had to wince at the amount of weeds that usually protruded from the borders and it was nice to see a pleasant array of flowers and small shrubs that otherwise would have been left to grow wild. She liked gardening, one of the reasons she had purchased the cottage, but she never seemed to have the time to get on with it these days. It had been lovely of Jacob to offer. He had recently retired and needed to find something to fill his days, so Sarah had accepted his offer to sort out the mess presuming to give him some money in return. However, he wouldn't agree to that, so in the end they settled on Sarah paying for the stock and agreeing to have them to dinner once a month.  
  
Stepping up to the front door she put her key into the lock and turned, noticing the swinging motion of the knocker's handle as she opened it. It never failed to bring a smile to her face, she could always remember her and Ludo's encounter with the two doorknocker's in the Labyrinth. If the truth were known, that had been another reason for her buying the cottage. She shut the door behind her and automatically locked it. It wasn't like she was in New York anymore, but she never had felt safe unless it were just so.  
  
She surveyed the room before her, being an older property there was no hall, and once your foot was over the threshold you were in the lounge. It was large enough to carry a dining table and that was exactly what she had done. She loved this room, it was her favourite; she had painted the walls with a bright sunshine yellow colour, almost golden and the wood, that rose from the floor to dado height she had stained a dark oak colour. The ceiling was painted in the same colour too, Gary had helped her, and the beams had been painted to match the woodwork. She removed her fleece jacket and hung that, along with her purse, on the hook behind the door. Kicking off her shoes in the same general direction and fishing around her bag for the sandwiches she had packed for her lunch earlier, she went out to the kitchen at the rear of the house.  
  
She switched on the radio that sat on the windowsill and flicked the switch on the kettle; pulling out a teapot from one of the overhead cupboards she set that down and waited for the kettle to boil. She quickly warmed the pot before putting in the leaves and pouring the boiled water over them to allow them to infuse. She found her mug and poured in a little milk before she filled the mug up with the strained tea. Picking up her mug and sandwiches she decided to sit outside on her patio, it was a nice afternoon and she would be able to appreciate her back garden as she had the front. Jacob had finished out there too.  
  
She could still hear the radio from her seat on the patio and absently hummed along with the tune it was playing. Halfway through the second verse the song appeared to change as another melody seemed to take its place, and she knew this one a lot better, didn't even make a mistake. Racking her brain she tried to remember where she had heard the haunting ballad before, then she remembered.  
  
She straightened herself up in her chair as her face took on an angry disposition. "You couldn't even give me five minutes to have my lunch, could you Jareth. You always have to have your way. Okay, if that's the way you want it. I wish to see Jareth right now!"  
  
Confused, she looked around her. If he was there he was hiding, as he certainly wasn't in front or behind her. "I do hope you're not playing games with me, Jareth." But then that wasn't his style, was it?  
  
She got up from her seat and walked into the house thinking that the arrogant son-of-a-bitch may have been loafing about in her living room, but he wasn't there either. Frustrated, she took a seat by one of the front windows to think about the turn of events. 'So,' she thought, ' perhaps he is being stubborn, no I probably didn't call right, but then I wished and I only ever told the others I needed them and they would arrive. Perhaps that's it!'  
  
She called again, "Jareth, I need you." A smile appeared over her lips as she thought about how imposing he would be standing in front of her in her living room. She herself, only just managed to walk about in the room without her tall frame having to stoop. Waiting for the dramatics to unfold before her, she envisioned him knocking his head against one of the beams as he materialised. But nothing happened again.  
  
'Well, if that wasn't it then he probably is being stubborn, as I first suspected,' she thought. This time she readied herself, "I wish to see the Goblin King."  
  
A cloud of dust and blue sparkle rained down as figure appeared before her, but unless Jareth had had a foot skimmed off his legs then it wasn't him that stood before her. Besides this man had dark hair as well.  
  
"Who are you?" She enquired, "and where the hell is Jareth?"  
  
The man before her tried to look foreboding as he stood there before her but it just wasn't working. "I am the Goblin King, my name is Luther." He squirmed slightly as he saw the look of disbelief pass over Sarah's face.  
  
"Are you really? You don't much like a Goblin King to me!"  
  
"Don't' I," he stammered, "maybe this will sway your judgement of me." His voice now a little more settled. He produced a crystal, not as clear or as dainty as Jareth's, but a crystal nonetheless. He tossed it to her in such a quick movement that she nearly didn't catch it, but upon feeling its weight in her hands she knew it was safe. "Look into it, my dear, it will show you ."  
  
"If it's going to show me my dreams I don't need it," she said readying to throw it back to him.  
  
"Sarah wait, it will show you your dreams, but it will also show you Jareth. He is part of your dream is he not?"  
  
"Yes, but ."  
  
"Look!"  
  
Hesitantly, she drew it up in front of her face and peered into its depths. A murky blue fog enveloped everything within it for a few moments before it was rushed away and she saw Jareth. A gasp escaped her lips as she saw him looking sad and forlorn. He still wore his usual get up, on this occasion dark grey pants were teamed with a white open necked shirt, the fluttering collar of which sat over a small black fitted leather waistcoat, the sleeves were full and fitted at the wrist, opulent cuffs reaching over his black leather clad hands to touch the crevice of his fingers and his normal black knee length boots encased his legs and feet.  
  
However, this was not what concerned Sarah, she was more concerned with where he was. All around him was darkness and she could just make out the taught skin seat of the inadequate bench he was perched on. She had seen one of those before and it hadn't been a pleasant experience for her. "Why is Jareth in one of his oubliette's?"  
  
"It is a test, milady."  
  
"A test?"  
  
"Yes, you see we, that is myself and other members of the Seelie Court, have become concerned that Jareth's love for you is making him unstable, and therefore unsuitable to continue his role as the Goblin King. So because of this we have placed him in one of his oubliettes in order to keep him and other's out of harms way. I am presently taking his place until his return or his demise."  
  
"So you are saying that he is a danger to himself because he loves me."  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"How can a man in love be a danger to himself?"  
  
"We thought you might ask that question. You see, being in love is not a bad thing, wherever you hail from. It is just that he is so involved with his thoughts of you that he is neglecting everyone, his people, his kingdom and most of all himself. We have heard accounts that he hasn't eaten in weeks."  
  
"No, I don't believe you. There is no way that he would do that to himself, especially because of me."  
  
"But you are the reason he does do it. He never imagined anyone to beat his labyrinth but once you had, he no longer had the control he thought he had over you. The Labyrinth is, after all, an extension of himself, the more hatred he feels towards someone then the more the Labyrinth manipulates itself to challenge the person that is running it. However, you my dear, had an easy ride, his feelings for you were such that the Labyrinth helped you and gave you an easier path."  
  
"I don't consider my journey to have been easy."  
  
"No, but relatively speaking it was. Although at first I really believe that Jareth had his emotions under control, you certainly didn't find the first two sections that easy, but you have to admit towards the end it wasn't so rough. And he could have taken your friends away from you at anytime if he had so wished."  
  
"But what about the peach, he tried to make me forget about Toby."  
  
"No, that was not his intention. He just wanted you to be able to see the other side of him. He is a proud man, Sarah, and will not show his emotions to just anyone. You were the only one to make him feel vulnerable, that is why he wanted you to see him as he truly is, a good kind-hearted soul, who only played the villain because it was your will for him to be as such."  
  
"So as part of the Seelie Court, you are punishing him for falling in love with me."  
  
"We have to do what we feel is right, and besides he isn't just falling he has fallen."  
  
"How do you know so much about this? Surely the court would not have found out all of this information from rumours?"  
  
"I am Jareth's friend. Over the past 15 Aboveground years he has grown weak with his love and admiration for you, he has kept watch over you, he knows how you have matured and that only makes his heart grow fonder. Few children are wished away these days and those wishers that accept the task, rarely have a decent challenge in his Labyrinth. Rest assured, you are the only one to have finished and defeated him but that doesn't stop the fact that if this continues as it has already been allowed to go, then another will finish and then another, until finally the Labyrinth and the Underground will cease to exist."  
  
"I guess your not just standing here to play some kind of joke, so why are you here."  
  
"You called me, remember!"  
  
"Yes, but | guess if I hadn't you would have come looking for me sooner or later."  
  
"Yes, I would have. Do you love Jareth, Sarah?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"Would you lay down your life for him?"  
  
She eyed him nervously, and firmly nodded her head. "Yes!"  
  
"Then we have a task for you, if you choose to accept it that is. You will have thirteen hours to traverse the Labyrinth and walk through the door of the castle beyond the goblin city. Your prize, should you win, will be Jareth and all of his love."  
  
"And if I lose?"  
  
"I doubt that you will lose but if you do then you will return here on your own and Jareth ."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Jareth will stay in the oubliette until he is forgotten."  
  
She looked at his face; there was nothing but sincerity there. How could they think that they could just leave him there and forget about him. She had to do it, not only because she loved him but also because she couldn't allow these bastards to keep him from what he did best, playing the villain to a wisher's hero. "Well, I suppose, we better get started then. The sooner I get through this maze again, the sooner Jareth can get out of that whole."  
  
"I knew that you and your heart would not allow him to rot in that cell. Please follow me Sarah. I will take you to the beginning." 


	4. Let the games begin

A/n: Thanks to everyone that has reviewed this little story so far. I'm glad everyone seems to like it and sorry for the delay over this chapter, some us have to work, you know! (Hee Hee)  
  
Disclaimer: Sarah, Jareth and all other mainstream characters from the Labyrinth do not belong to me.  
  
Synopsis: Sarah & Jareth have to prove their love for one another. Sarah runs the gauntlet again, but what will Jareth do?  
  
Everything I do  
  
Chapter 3 - Let the games begin  
  
Sarah stood at the top of the hill, the same hill that she had stepped onto 15 years previously. The wind whipped around her, blowing some strands of loose hair into her eyes and mouth, as she surveyed the landscape before her. 'God, this is eerily the same!' she thought, as she recalled the sand underfoot, the towering walls of the Labyrinth in front of her and the strange pinky-orange sky that seemed to give everything an ethereal glow. She quickly shot a look back over her shoulder expecting to see Jareth, in all his glory, positioned in his same spot by the tree, letting her know the rules and motioning towards the clock. Instead she found Luther, cowering slightly as if this had been his first confession, hands tucked behind his back and hopping from one foot to the other.  
  
"Anybody would think I didn't already know the score with you hopping about like some dog on heat!" Sarah exclaimed sarcastically, "you can leave if you like, I know the game, I know the rules and I know what I have to do."  
  
"Sarah, please take heed," Luther said, his eyebrows furrowed. "Although there has been no dramatic change in the labyrinth over it's structure or outlook, there is something devious there. It has not been the same since we imprisoned Jareth; it has somehow evolved into something mean and wicked. Many that have travelled through it over the last few weeks have found it to be as such, and with a certain menace. Tread carefully, and take nothing for granted."  
  
"I know! Nothing is what it seems in the labyrinth. Seem to remember hearing that before."  
  
"Well, on this occasion I suggest you keep reminding yourself of that, and Sarah?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Good Luck. I hope that the next time I see you, you and Jareth will be firmly positioned within each other's arms."  
  
"Thank you. Well feet," she looked towards them, "I think we need to get going." She turned her head back to wave goodbye to the substitute Goblin King but only saw the remains of a cloud of dust and blue glitter. "Goodbye, Luther!" she said to herself.  
  
She made her way down the slope and found her way to the outer wall. She began to walk along the craggy, depressing stone trying to find some kind of entrance but found nothing. "If only I could remember how I got in." She said to no one in particular, including herself, and then asked, "How do I get into the labyrinth?"  
  
A small voice in her mind played over, 'You gets in there!' She turned slightly and saw the large entrance as it unfolded before her, the welcoming arch begging her to intrude into the depths. "Here goes nothing," she remarked making her way towards the entrance and through the gateway. Finding herself inside the familiar territory of the never-ending passages of the first stage, she turned to her right and began pacing down the first corridor. The loud bang of the doors as they closed behind her resonated along the walls, making her jump slightly and shiver at the sudden impact. She shrugged her shoulders and continued on, searching for the illusive openings in the walls as she slowly made her way around, the eyes of the lichen following her as she passed by.  
  
She rested her hand against the uneven barrier as she walked on, feeling for the inevitable and once found she would pass through it and decide which way to go at each turn. It didn't seem to matter which way she chose anyway, as long as she could make it into the next section, knowing that this Labyrinth had the power to manipulate itself in order to trap those unwary of it. After all, she had an advantage, she'd already been through it once, and so far nothing bad seemed to have cropped it. She only hoped that it would remember her, even be partial to her in order to make her passage a safe one, not only keeping her safe but keeping Jareth safe in turn; but she wasn't going to take anything for granted now was she?  
  
She looked at the watch on her wrist and noticed that its face and workings had been adapted for the surroundings she was now in. Maybe it was Luther's way of saying sorry, giving her an idea of how she would be doing at every turn. She had already been walking around for an hour and without much success, or so she thought. She had just made her way through about her twelfth entrance and was deciding which way to go, making mostly right turns so far and feeling she was in need of a change.  
  
"Allo!" A small voice shouted out from behind her. Turning to see who it was that had tried to make contact with her; Sarah noticed a familiar little worm sitting on a ledge in front of her. He moved his head slightly, taking her in with his amber eyes as her watched her crouch down, the blue spikes that protruded from his head and body swaying with the sudden movement. "Allo!" He repeated.  
  
"Hello!" Sarah answered with uncertainty. 'If only Karen could see me now,' she thought, ' she really would think I had finally gone over the edge.' But then this hadn't been the first time she had spoken to a pale green worm wearing a red scarf. "Are you the same worm as I spoke to before?" She asked curiously.  
  
"Yeah, my name's Alfie."  
  
"Well, hello, Alfie. It's nice to meet you again. I'm Sarah."  
  
"I remember, you didn't have time to come inside and have a cuppa tea, last time; or meet the missus!" He said remotely. "But then you were busy solving this 'ere labyrinth."  
  
"Yes, as I am now, unfortunately. And I would love a cup of tea, I had to leave mine to come here." As if on cue, her stomach began to rumble. She began rubbing the area and briefly looked down to it, returning her gaze to Alfie as she added, "God, I didn't even get a chance to eat my sandwich."  
  
"Well, you could always pop in for a bite."  
  
"I'm sorry, I'd love to but I have a Goblin King to save."  
  
Alfie opened his mouth to speak, words began to form on his lips but no sound came out. Sarah eyed him suspiciously, "What did you say?" She inquired.  
  
He tried again, he made his mouth say the words he had said before but the sentence was different, it was like he was possessed. Sarah wished she could lip read. "I said, I wasn't aware that the King was in any danger?" He shook his head that wasn't what he had said at all; it must have been the King's magic stopping him from repeating himself.  
  
Sarah knew that wasn't what he had said either. Firstly, because she could see that the words didn't correspond to his lip movements and secondly, she knew enough about the worm to know he would never use a phrase like 'I wasn't aware'. Slightly confused she got to her feet, "I suppose I better get going, any idea which way I should go? I was thinking of going left."  
  
"Don't go that way, never go that way," Alfie stated.  
  
"Any particular reason?" She asked, remembering that she had never enquired before, she had just gone in the opposite direction without question.  
  
"That way leads to the 'Bog'."  
  
"Okay, and the right?"  
  
"That leads to the next stage."  
  
"Thanks, Alfie. I appreciate your help and when I am through this time I will come back and see you again. Okay?"  
  
"Okay, Sarah. Good Luck, child!"  
  
She waved and went on her way down the right hand corridor. She soon found that she was stepping from the dark lichen covered walls to the light airy conditions of the sandstone brick area of the labyrinth. Here the walls were not as high and openings were accented with ball decorations. She thought back to the last time she was here and shivered at the thought.  
  
On that previous occasion, she had used her lipstick up drawing arrows on the floor in order to get an idea of where she had been going if she ever retraced her steps, but someone or something had been moving them. She had stood and called to Jareth, knowing that he would be watching her, telling him 'it wasn't fair'. And that was when she had found those funny characters in front of her; two pairs of funny little . well she couldn't really describe what they were but the riddle they had spoken she had remembered, 'one of always tells the truth and one of us always lies'.  
  
Last time, that had been her step out of this section into the oubliette. 'Oh well,' she mused, 'if I end up in a hole again I can only hope and pray it will be in the one that Jareth is in too'. She began tracing her way through the maze seemingly finding she was going round in circles, but not caring, a smile firmly set on her face as she wandered. Perhaps she should get her mind back on solving the labyrinth, instead of thinking about Jareth; and before she could stop them the words rushed from her mouth like a torrent, "I love you, Jareth!"  
  
***  
  
In the dark room that posed as an oubliette, Jareth lounged on the small uncomfortable bed, his back against the cold stone of the wall. Summoning up one of his crystals he began to watch Sarah as she made her way successfully through the first stage of his labyrinth. 'That's my girl,' he thought to himself, continuing to observe her as she went on her way, in the glass bauble that sat on his fingertips. He had watched her converse with the little worm and only just managed to stop Alfie's intended words from slipping out, the game would have been up a lot quicker than intended if she had found out the truth right then.  
  
She began to smile and he wondered of what she was thinking, eagerly hoping that she was thinking of him. It didn't take long for him to realise that she had indeed been contemplating him, as he heard her declaration. The words slipped over him, heightening his senses and catching his soul alight.  
  
He now desperately wanted her to know how he felt too, so he summoned a crystal in his free hand and poured his affections into it. Walking to the window of the tower he was situated in, he sat on the edge of the windowsill and lent out, quickly surveying all that was his. Positioning the crystal onto the palm of his hand and in front of his face, he blew it out into the night in order to seek out its intended recipient. He returned his attention back to the original crystal and looked back into its clear depths. "I love you, too, Sarah. I only hope you can forgive me." 


	5. Deception

Disclaimer: Sarah, Jareth and all other mainstream characters from the Labyrinth do not belong to me.  
  
Synopsis: Sarah & Jareth have to prove their love for one another. Sarah runs the gauntlet again, but what will Jareth do?  
  
Everything I do  
  
Chapter 4 - Deception  
  
"Damn," Sarah exclaimed, as she found herself in yet another dead end. She turned back only to find that the opening she had used to enter the blocked path by was now closed. "Oh no," her heart sank; this meant only one thing . a riddle!  
  
She pivoted on the spot and was welcomed by the odd playing card guard characters she had anticipated. "Hi," she said as easily as she could, although her insides were churning. 'How easy can I make this for myself,' she contemplated as she made her way to the two doors and their occupants.  
  
Tim, Jim. Alph & Ralph all watched the woman as she walked towards them. "Hello, Sarah!" Alph said as she closed the distance.  
  
"You remember me?"  
  
"Of course," Tim said, "how could we ever forget the girl who against all the odds, made it to the castle in time to collect her baby brother."  
  
"Oh, well I ."  
  
"It's okay, we know why you're here this time." Jim injected.  
  
"To save the King!" Ralph finished.  
  
"Yes. So I guess I've got to ask you," she said, pointing to Alph, "a question, and then ascertain if you are telling the truth or not?"  
  
"Yes, of course. Just because 143 years have passed since you were last here, doesn't mean that the rules have changed."  
  
"No, silly me, of course they wouldn't," the sarcastic tone present in her voice as she spoke. "So, I can ask any question, absolutely anything and you will either answer truthfully or with a lie, right?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Okay," she put her head back to think about it for a moment and then looked Alph directly in the eye. "Is the colour of my shirt blue?" "Well, I don't know whether we're allowed ." he bent down behind the shield and conferred with his partner.  
  
"You did say you could answer anything!"  
  
"You did Alph, Sarah's right," Tim said as he and Jim began to chuckle.  
  
Alph brought his head back up from behind the shield and looked at Sarah, perplexed. "Yes!" he finally said.  
  
Sarah smiled, looking down at the blue shirt she wore, she pictured her younger self as she congratulated herself getting smarter, only to find herself on her way down to the oubliette she had dropped into, after the helping hands had let go of her. "Thanks, if you don't mind I'll choose this door this time around." Alph and Ralph stepped to the side and allowed her to push the door open, and she watched as the opening unfurled and the path sped out in front of her. She warily crossed the threshold looking for a sign that she had made a mistake again but found nothing untoward. She looked back and thanked the guards before she made her way up the path towards the third stage of the labyrinth.  
  
The slight incline of the path made her loose her breath as she quickly made her way to the top. Reaching the summit she turned the corner and found a small bench, not easily picked out as it was constructed from the same sandy coloured stone as the rest of this part of the labyrinth. She needed to rest for a minute and this would be as good a place as any to stop. Looking at her watch she saw that she had been going for 3½ hours so far and from her position she could now see the castle in front of her, its foreboding presence now seeming as if it were calling to her, beckoning and welcoming her.  
  
She let her body fall back and leant her full weight against the wall behind her; she could tell she wasn't 15 anymore, her aching joints and muscles thankful for the rest. She was quite fit for her age, especially considering the health of most people at 30 these days, but no amount of aerobics classes or gym sessions could ever prepare her for the long haul she was putting herself through now. Mind you, sheer guts and determination had kept her running on her last visit, as well as the welcome help of all of her friends. This time she was on her own.  
  
Her demeanour changed suddenly, so where were her friends, why had she not encountered any of them yet, she had at least expected to see Hoggle by now and yet she had not even had a sight of them.  
  
A dazzle of bright light caught her eye as she looked to the heavens, she returned her gaze and looked upon a crystal. What was this? Did every King spy on his prey as they tried to make their way through his labyrinth? "This isn't appreciated, Luther. If you want to see me and how I'm doing, then you could just come to me."  
  
This crystal changed course floating down to her and it was then that she realised this wasn't one of Luther's crystals, it was one of Jareth's; there was no mistaking the shimmering clear quality of the orb he was able to produce with his magic. It descended at a rate of knots, so quickly that Sarah had a job to catch it. However, once caught she found that she couldn't let go, the intensity of feelings and emotions that flooded from the crystal as she held it, were overwhelming. Her head span with the sensations that overflowed out of the ball and her heart expanded with the knowledge of Jareth's love for her; she had never really believed it until now.  
  
"How can you love me Jareth, when I excluded you? How could you stand by and watch as I destroyed what feelings you had for me? And everything you offered me I threw back in your face, how can you ever forgive me?"  
  
"I forgave you a long time ago, Sarah." Jareth's voice answered, in her head, "and really there was nothing to forgive. You were only doing what you believed to be right and that only made me love and want you more. You had determination, strength, and conviction. Nothing would stop you from laying down your life for your half-brother, a very commendable act indeed. I only hoped that you would use these qualities of yours to help me one day."  
  
"That is why I am here, Jareth. I couldn't let these people think they could get away with anything as unjust as locking someone up because they were in love, especially when I care, love and respect that someone very deeply. I will be there for you, soon, I promise."  
  
"And I will be waiting."  
  
The voice faded as the crystal began to slowly grow smaller and eventually disappear from Sarah's upturned palm. She looked at her empty hand for a few moments then got up from her seat. "Well, if that isn't enough incentive to beat this thing for a second time, then nothing will be!"  
  
***  
  
"Sire, Sarah seems to be doing rather well!"  
  
"Yes, Luther, very well." Jareth said to his consort and friend, as he made his way from the window and sprawled himself over his throne. His left arm fell over the back and his left leg over the arm, as he made himself comfortable. He brought his right hand up in front of him as a crystal formed at his fingertips and gazed into its depths watching Sarah's continuing progress.  
  
"Don't you think that she is having a bit of an easy time at the moment."  
  
"Luther, I don't think that whether Sarah has an easy time traversing my labyrinth is really any concern of yours, is it?"  
  
"No, Sire. It's just that the Seelie Court will not look upon this event with a kind eye, you know how they behaved the last time Sarah left here triumphant, and they have their suspicions about your interests in her as well."  
  
"I'm fully aware of their suspicions, but you know why I had to get her to come here, to declare her feelings for me. I watched her grow from a teenager into that lovely woman she is now, waiting for her to realise her error; I allowed her to make mistakes in her life, saw how she went from man to man in order to find some kind of similarity between any of them and me, she even moved to England in order to find someone who seemed like me and spoke like me." He displayed his arrogance like a peacock showing his feathers.  
  
"But sire ." Luther tried to reason.  
  
"No, Luther. She has realised that she needs me, and that she loves me. Although her declaration on its own is enough, I would never have realised how she felt had I not watched her draw that picture of me the other night!" His eyes glazed as he remembered watching her erratically sketch his portrait, the night she had given up on another failing relationship.  
  
"Sire, I'm sorry if you think I speak out of turn," he watched as the King raised his right brow in annoyance, "to a Fae it is enough for someone to show a realisation of what they want in order for the intended to decide whether or not they wish to accept them as a life long partner, but to a human it is an entirely different thing, they show love and affection with the express intention of having that reciprocated by the other person. Sarah will not take kindly to you if you are too proud to show her exactly how you feel. Telling her will not be enough on its own."  
  
"For your information I have already told her how I feel."  
  
"Face to face?" Luther asked, knowing full well what the answer would be before Jareth began to shake his head. "I thought not. You have to realise most human's are emotional and use this quality to attach themselves to others, if you really want to go through with this you will need to give her everything she needs and expects. Firstly, by making sure she never finds out this is all some elaborate ruse in order for you to gain her affection, because if she does she will never trust you ever again."  
  
Comprehension swept through Jareth as he suddenly confronted his worst fear that Sarah may never give herself to him willingly. "So we shall have to make sure that she never finds out; and you are right, Luther, perhaps we should make this a little harder for her, otherwise she is never going to truly believe this isn't a set-up if she does know the truth." Getting up from his position on the throne he retraced his steps back to the window, allowing the balancing sphere on his fingertips to rest in his palm. "I'm sorry Sarah, please forgive me," and with that said he threw the crystal out into the labyrinth sending with it a spell that would give Sarah something to think about, finally.  
  
A small dwarf like figure that had been lurking in the shadows on the other side of the doorway into the throne room, suddenly scurried off replacing the small red skullcap back onto his head as he went. He had to get to Sarah and quickly. 


	6. The truth will out well nearly

Disclaimer: Sarah, Jareth and all other mainstream characters from the Labyrinth do not belong to me.  
  
Synopsis: Sarah & Jareth have to prove their love for one another. Sarah runs the gauntlet again, but what will Jareth do?  
  
Everything I do  
  
Chapter 5 - The truth will out . well nearly  
  
Looking at the watch on her wrist, Sarah suddenly became aware that she had spent the last two hours wandering aimlessly around the privet hedges in the hot sunshine. Years before the heat would never have been a problem to her, but now she was withering fast. She had already removed her blue long sleeved blouse and tied it clumsily about her waist and was contemplating removing the baggy marl grey t-shirt exposing the white vest that she was also wearing. After all, it was cold at home being late September, the leaves had started to fall and the main flowering season was over. She reached into the pocket of her jeans and pulled out the scrunchie that always resided somewhere about her person. Brushing her fingertips through her hair she managed to get most of the layered shoulder length style that she now favoured into a ponytail. "Phew, that's better," she remarked.  
  
"I hopes the lil' lady feels better for that," a familiar voice shot out.  
  
Sarah turned suddenly, shocked from the intrusion but just as glad to see her old friend. "Hoggle," she screamed, "where the hell did you appear from?" Crossing to him in two steps and crouching, he was firmly placed in her embrace.  
  
Pulling away from her slightly he said, "I's been watching you, and as I know all the passages there is to know in this place I could get to you's quickly."  
  
"Quickly? Why would you need to get to me quickly? I'm not in any danger, Hoggle. The labyrinth is seemingly allowing me to just walk through without much hindrance, as if it likes me."  
  
"Well, that's the point Sarah, it does like you; it likes you 'cause he likes you."  
  
"As in Jareth likes me? I know, why do you think I'm back? To save him of course."  
  
"Is that what he has you believin'?"  
  
"Hoggle, I saw him in one of his own oubliette's. The 'new' Goblin King, Luther showed me and told me that he was in love with me, that the labyrinth was acting strangely because Jareth couldn't control his love for me. And I'm here because after all these years I've realised I love him too, and I need to get to the centre again in order to save him from spending the rest of his eternity in a hole and being forgotten." She eyed him suspiciously; he had had this look and demeanour about him before. "You don't believe me do you?"  
  
"Oh, I's believes you, Sarah, I just don't believe that fiend, Jareth." "Hoggle, he loves me, I've felt it. He sent me one of his crystals; I knew it was his because it was so clear and incredibly beautiful, unlike Luther's. And when it touched my fingers his strong emotions and feelings spoke to my soul."  
  
"Have you been readin' romance novels again or somethin'?"  
  
"'Course not!" she spat out, angrily.  
  
"So he sent you one of his crystals did he?" He watched as she nodded her head, "Sarah, how do you think he got it to you? You've been in one of them oubliette's, you knows the score, no way out, remember?"  
  
Sarah got up from her crouching position next to Hoggle, turned full circle as realisation hit her, imaging Jareth sitting upon one of his windowsills surveying the land before him and sending his crystals out into the atmosphere, like he had done so before. There was no reason not to believe what she had seen; after all to see was to believe, wasn't it? But then it could all have been a nasty little ruse, Jareth taking his revenge on her after all these years, and if that was the case why was the labyrinth being so nice to her, if Jareth were hell bent on revenge then wouldn't the labyrinth want that too. She looked at Hoggle, questions in her eyes and once he acknowledged what she knew to be the truth, tears of hurt formed and rivulets flowed down over her cheeks. Anger welled deep within her and if it hadn't have been for her sudden thoughts of revenge she may well have exploded.  
  
"That bastard," she said under her breath as she closed her eyes and shook her head, she still couldn't quite believe it, "How dare he? How dare he bloody well do this to me?"  
  
"Sarah? . Sarah?" Hoggle pleaded pulling at her left hand, as it lay limp by her side. Turning her head slightly she focused on her friend. Her eyes were red and bloodshot and Haggle's heart went out to her. She smiled slightly and he could see the desperation and hurt painted across her face. She really did love Jareth.  
  
He watched as she found her way over to a stone bench and sat heavily upon it. Her head hung and her body hunched forward. He moved over and sat beside her. "Sarah, what's do you want to do now?"  
  
"I want to get out of this bloody labyrinth and go home, I can't save a man that doesn't need saving, especially when that man has tricked me into believing . well, for making my look like such a fool."  
  
"Well, we's could turn the table's."  
  
"How, exactly?" She turned to face him, intrigued by his comment.  
  
"Well, you do know's that if you solve this labyrinth again you'll have even more power over Jareth, don't you's?"  
  
"You mean that I could really banish him to a life of solitude in one of his oubliettes?"  
  
"If that's what you wanted, you would have the power of the Seelie Court to help you too."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah, them's the rules. If you can solve it once then's they don't look too kindly on it, but if you's does it a second time they's respects you."  
  
"And they can really help me to have my revenge with that . that, well you know?" she asked pointing in the general direction of the castle at the centre.  
  
"Yep!"  
  
"In that case then, Hoggle will you act as my companion through this labyrinth and help me solve it." She stretched out her hand to take his in a solemn shake. "And along the way can we pick up Ludo and Sir Didymus, for extra security when we get to the goblin city."  
  
"I's be glad to help and I knows exactly where those two will be!" He responded. "Let's get going, we've only got six and a half hours left."  
  
"I'm right behind you, lead on." And with that the two friends were on their way.  
  
***  
  
Watching his friend from his seated position at the window, Luther wondered whether he should tell the King what had transpired between Sarah and Hoggle. Jareth had given him the task of watching over Sarah as she traversed his labyrinth, with strict instructions that if anything 'unusual' happened he was to wake him and tell him immediately. But was this event 'unusual' enough or was what Luther overheard enough to trouble the King with, after all it was only fair that Sarah know the truth of what she had let herself in for. Even if it were only a half-truth. Yes, Jareth had lied to her to get her to come to him, but he did love her. It was just a shame that the dwarf couldn't quite see that. Maybe, just may be he may be able to .  
  
"Luther, what are you thinking about?" Jareth asked, eyeing his friend lazily as sleep departed from him. He hurled his slouched body out of his throne and paced over to Luther, the black tendrils of the cloak he was wearing flowing out behind him as he moved. "Well? And how is Sarah doing?"  
  
"Fine Sire, she now has a companion to help her, Hoggle, I believe his name is."  
  
"Hogwart, hey? And has he spoken out of turn, told her lies to prevent her from coming here?"  
  
"Nay, Jareth, my friend. Do not worry yourself. I said I would mention anything untoward to you and I will. So far the dwarf has said only his hellos and offered to help her here. I don't believe the Seelie Court can look unfavourably upon that?"  
  
"You are right, Luther, I'm sorry. I worry because I need her so, but I trust your judgement and I know you would never lie to me. We have been friends too long." He stifled a yawn, his eyes lids heavy; this loving Sarah business was hard going on him, he wasn't used to the stresses and strains of needing and cherishing someone not to mention the sleepless nights he was encountering when they both appeared to dream about the same thing, each other. "I must go to bed," he managed, "And hopefully get a peaceful sleep."  
  
"Aye, my lord. You do look weary, take rest I will call on you when they are near to the castle."  
  
"Thank you, Luther, you are one true friend." Luther looked on as he watched his King turn and make his way up the stairs to his chambers above. 'I only hope you can forgive me,' he thought, 'for what I am about to do.'  
  
***  
  
"Hoggle, do you think we can take a quick breather?" Sarah asked her friend as they neared the dreaded bog of eternal stench.  
  
"I suppose it wouldn't harm's much, we can rest for a little bit and then we can meet up with Ludo and Didymus in a while."  
  
Sarah seated herself on the ground leaning her back up against the orange tinted rocks that cleverly made Jareth's face if you looked at it from a certain angle. The dwarf shuddered and absently removed his skullcap to begin twisting it between his hands.  
  
"What is it?" Sarah enquired as she looked on.  
  
"Nothing's. Its nothing's."  
  
"Well it must be something."  
  
"Yeah, well ." he began and looked up to notice she was staring at him, he quickly averted his gaze and turned slightly away from her gaze. "This is the place that Jareth . well, you remember."  
  
"No, I'm afraid I don't. You'll have to give me clue or something here." She said as she shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"This is where he gave me the peach . you remember, the one that made you forget us for a while."  
  
"Oh, well I had a lovely dream before I woke up to reality."  
  
"Do's you mind tellings me what happened."  
  
"I'd rather not, Hoggle. Its kind of personal."  
  
"I's thinks maybe he stole your heart that night?"  
  
"Maybe. It was a lovely fantasy for a 15 year old girl, and nearly enough for a 30 year old woman, but I won't be fooled by him again." Her saddened disposition had returned and she looked wearier than she ever had done to Hoggle. She sighed deeply.  
  
"Perhaps you should nap for a while's, I'll keep watch."  
  
"Thanks Hoggle, you are and have been such a good friend to me, I don't deserve any of it."  
  
"Yes you do, and more besides!" She smiled before resting her head back against the stone that she sat against and closed her eyes. She was soon asleep and as he had promised, Hoggle kept watch.  
  
It was then that he noticed the sphere that was rapidly approaching him. Its aura blue, it had to be one of Luther's. He grasped out and plucked it from its course. Turning it over in his hand he made out Luther's face and peered at him, one eye cocked the other half closed. "And whats do you want?" he enquired.  
  
"I need to speak with you, its about Jareth and Sarah."  
  
"If you thinks you can go on tricking her like this then ."  
  
A puff of blue smoke enveloped him slightly as he realised that now Luther was standing beside him. Luther grabbed his arm and pulled him further away from Sarah so that she wouldn't be woken. "I don't want to trick anyone," he whispered, "I just want to make sure that everyone gets what he or she . desire."  
  
"And what exactly does Jareth desire? If he wants to hurt the lil' lady I'll .I'll"  
  
"You truly are a good friend to her Hoggle, but Jareth only wants to be allowed to show Sarah he loves her."  
  
"Loves her? He's going's the wrongs way about it if you ask me."  
  
"I know, I have tried to warn him but you know how proud and fool-hardy he can be at times. But I am absolutely positive of his devotion for her. There is nothing he wouldn't do for her."  
  
"Including's lying to her?"  
  
"Well yes, I have pointed this out to him. But he decided that this is the way he wants to play it and at the moment he stills believes that she is fighting her way through the labyrinth at this very moment, in order to save him from a fate worse than death, and that is the way I want to keep it too, at present. At least until I can figure out a way of making him see sense."  
  
"Jareth, see sense . that will never happen so long as he keeps calling me Higgle or Hogwart or some other such name. I don't believe that man woulds change for anything."  
  
"He will. When he realises that he is going to lose the one thing he cherishes above all else, he will change."  
  
"Luther, I do hope's you's right, for Sarah's sake." He took a moment to look over to her sleeping figure, momentarily seeming to be at peace with the world and then he noticed that she was dreaming, her eyelids moving slightly as she went into a deeper slumber.  
  
Luther began watching Sarah as well, noticing the same sleep pattern as he had seen the King have on his countless sleepless nights. "Has she ever told you of what she dreams?" he enquired.  
  
"No, why?"  
  
"Jareth has, told me that is, what he dreams of, well what Sarah dreams of."  
  
"How's can he dream what Sarah dreams?" Hoggle said, always the sceptic.  
  
"Their souls are intertwined, Hoggle. They have needed each other from the day they met 15 years ago. She has been inadvertently looking for something in a man that is Jareth, the sandy blonde hair, blue or green eyes, slim but strong build, and never forgetting the English accent. And when she realises that any of them can never be him she runs away. The longest relationship she has had over her adult life has never lasted more than a couple of Aboveground months. And in her dreams she sees him as human, not fae, more normal to her world than his. They spend their time in places that he has never been to before but obviously Sarah has, meaning they have to be Aboveground places. And if that were not enough they are sharing their lives together, laughing, dancing, talking, caring, loving. When Jareth started having these 'insights' I began to take note and I have observed both he and Sarah. When she begins to dream he does and when she stops he stops too."  
  
A noise reciprocated through the air as Sarah began to stretch her body awake. Watching from their position behind the rocks Luther nudged Hoggle. "I think I better be going. Please think about what I said Hoggle as I am going to need your help to make this situation work."  
  
"Okay's, I'll thinks about it . but I ain't makin' any promises."  
  
"That's a start, thank you. " And with another puff of blue smoke he was gone.  
  
"Hoggle, Hoggle?" Sarah shouted slightly agitated.  
  
"I'ms here, " he said as he came out from behind the rock, "I had to . take a leak!" He shrugged and smiled with embarrassment.  
  
"Sorry. I just thought that you might have been taken from me again."  
  
"I's will never let that happen," he responded, "never, come on I think's we better make tracks." 


	7. Confrontation and devotion

Thanks to everyone that has reviewed so far, hopefully this story is gonna go the way I want it too.  
  
Disclaimer: Sarah, Jareth and all other mainstream characters from the Labyrinth do not belong to me.  
  
Synopsis: Sarah & Jareth have to prove their love for one another. Sarah runs the gauntlet again, but what will Jareth do?  
  
Everything I do  
  
Chapter 6 - Confrontation and devotion  
  
It had seemed to take Sarah and Hoggle an exceptionally long time to push through the undergrowth of 'Fiery Wood', but they appeared to be coming to the end of it now as a tunnel of light opened up before them. And the smell, even a blind man would have known that they were coming up to the 'bog'.  
  
"God, this smells even worse than the first time I encountered it!" Sarah remarked as she pinched her nose.  
  
Hoggle didn't seem to mind too much about it this time around, but then he did have to come and visit every so often in order to keep up his acquaintance with both Ludo and Sir Didymus. He didn't even seem to notice anymore. "I's suppose it kinda grows on ya!" He answered. "I'm used to it now."  
  
"How could anyone get used to that! I've been to some holes in my lifetime, smelly ones at that, but nothing compares to this, Hoggle."  
  
"When's you visit it as often as I's do, then ya get's used to it. And to think, Jareth nearly made me prince of all this too."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well, it was either give you .", he didn't finish, fearing Sarah's wrath. She was a possessed being when she was angry.  
  
"Give me . ?" Sarah stopped abruptly, folded her arms over her chest and gave Hoggle the most scornful look she could give her friend.  
  
Hoggle's eyes slid down to the ground and his head followed suit. " . the peach, give you the peach or become prince of the bog." He answered, more to himself than to anyone else.  
  
"Hmm", she contemplated, "well . if I were in your shoe's at the time I would have done the same thing!"  
  
"You would?" Hoggle asked, not raising his eyes or head an inch in case Sarah was only joking with him. He held his hands together in front of his chest in the manner of a child that knew they had done a great wrong.  
  
"Sure!" Sarah said, "First rule isn't it, look after yourself, and besides you didn't really know where anybody's loyalty lay until later on. You certainly had no reason to believe my friendship was true, and at the end of the day, you still had to live here once I had gone home."  
  
"All's the same, I shouldn't have done what I done, I'm sorry."  
  
"Hoggle, forget it. I did a long time ago. No point dwelling on the past. Besides, it gave me a somewhat happy memory of my time here, even if it was a scheme of his 'lordship's' to try to make me forget my brother." Sarah was going to take no more crap from that direction either and decidedly started on her journey again with a smiling Hoggle in tow. As soon as they had passed through the last remaining inches of wood the scenery of the bog unfolded before them and as they walked on they were able to make out two figures sitting close to the foul smelling murky depths.  
  
Sarah immediately broke into a run towards her other two friends, "Sir Didymus, Ludo!" She called as she hurtled onwards.  
  
"Wait!" Cried the dwarf as he tried to keep up, the distance ever-growing between them; he had a feeling that something was going to happen. "Sarah, wait, please!" He tried again.  
  
Sarah, excited by her imminent meeting turned on her heel as she heard Hoggle repeatedly call out to her. "Sorry," she cried as she began to walk backwards very slowly in order that he could catch up to her, but he didn't he stopped, abruptly.  
  
She watched as his eyes moved upward watching something open up towards the heavens behind her, shock written all over his face and a huge shadow enveloping the area in which he stood to continue its grey path back toward the wood. She turned back again not sure at what she was going to find in her path and her eyes drifted upwards much the same as Hoggle's had. Before her was the most beautiful and yet dangerous creature that she thought she was ever likely to witness as it continued on its upward journey.  
  
At first, she wasn't quite sure what it was for it really was quite a strange beast. Half eagle, half lion. 'It's a griffin,' she mused.  
  
Formidable as it was, Sarah did not seem to care that it stood in her path. It sat on its golden haunches and eyed her suspiciously through its bright yellow eyes. Out shot its wings as it shook its head at her squawking, breathing out fire and waggling its forked tongue.  
  
By this time, Hoggle was at her side and she could hear her other two friends shouting at the mythical beast from somewhere behind it. Hoggle's large oversized hand came up to her elbow, grasping tightly. He was afraid, she noticed, looking to him and grabbing his hand in hers.  
  
"What's are we gonna do now?" He asked.  
  
"Follow my lead Hoggle." She said. "I'm trying to remember what it is about Griffin's that allow you to pass them when they block your path." She quickly jumped out of the way with Hoggle in tow as a front claw smashed down at the place they had just occupied.  
  
"That's was close!" Hoggle remarked. "Too close for my's likin'."  
  
"Yeah," Sarah agreed, as again they jumped backwards out of the way of its neck as it tried to side swipe them.  
  
Several more close encounters ensued, and the Griffin was happy when he managed to separate the pair. After all, the creature had been sent here to get the human, no one else. Drawing back it's claw it reached forward and grabbed out at Sarah, she moved quickly but was becoming weary, the beast knowing that it would not be long now.  
  
"Sarah, hurry up and remember!" Hoggle's words of encouragement soon lost as the Griffin tried again and again to snatch her up.  
  
She watched with hawk eyes for every move that the Griffin would make, anticipating what it would do next and all the while thinking about what she had to do to get passed the wretched beast.  
  
"I remember something about virtuousness and allowing passage. God . what the hell was it now?" Sarah spat out and neatly avoided another lunge from the Griffin.  
  
"What, virtu. what?" Hoggle asked.  
  
"Nothing, it's okay," Sarah said with a wide grin on her face and ducking quickly avoiding the next swipe. The registration of knowing appeared over her features as she got back to her feet and she looked the creature in the eye. "That's it!" She exclaimed. "Griffin, listen to me," she shouted up.  
  
The Griffin's claw stopped in mid flight as it realised that the strange human figure had spoken to it. It moved its head down so that it's eye was on the same plain as the girl's. It waited for her to speak again.  
  
Sarah was rooted to the spot, if the Griffin wanted her now there was nothing that she could have ever done to stop it. Finding the words, she spoke up again. "Hear me, Griffin," she said, trying not to falter, "You sit in my path, why? I am of strong will and determination, you will not easily break me. Do you guard what I desire most because you consider I am unworthy, that I do not speak truth when I say I love your King. If this is your belief, take me and do with me as is your desire. But if you suppose that I speak truth, let . me . pass. Your King will not look upon you with a kind eye if you make the wrong decision."  
  
She kept her spot resolutely and silently as she waited for the Griffin to make it's choice. Her heart was beating so fast that she thought it would push its way through her chest and land upon the grass in front her. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead and her breathing became erratic. And although her mind was not racing she could only think of one thing, Jareth. She mutely asked him for his help not expecting it but hoping that it would come all the same. The Griffin was unyielding to begin with, seemingly mulling over the words that had poured forth from Sarah's lips. Was she telling the truth or not? It would mean it's hide if it chose incorrectly. Checking over the human again it noticed that she stood as determinedly as it had ever witnessed a human do before. If she were lying couldn't it tell? It believed it would. It gracefully set it's wings back and turned round so that Sarah and Hoggle could pass safely.  
  
Sarah looked up at the beast realising that this meant she was worthy, virtuous and she could pass without any hindrance. She moved over to where the dwarf was cowering behind some trees and offered him her hand. "Come on Hoggle, we have to get to the castle, right?"  
  
Hoggle looked at her, then at the creature still towering over the scenery and decided that it was now safe to continue. "Thanks," he said giving Sarah a quick smile.  
  
"It's not me you need to thank," she answered as they walked passed the Griffin. Hoggle looked at her as she shrugged toward it, and decided against anything more to say on the subject.  
  
Eagerly, they both moved over to where Ludo and Sir Didymus had retreated. A wall of stones had been positioned in front of the cowering pair. Obviously Ludo had used his vocal talent to call the rocks to his aide but it was Sir Didymus that was the first to emerge from the safety of their barricade.  
  
"Milady, I am honoured to have such a valiant acquaintance." Sir Didymus charmed.  
  
"It was nothing, really."  
  
"You are too modest, milady."  
  
"And you offer me too much praise. How long is it going to take to say your hello's and give me hug?"  
  
Sir Didymus shamefully closed the distance between them uttering, "Please forgive me," as Sarah swept him up into her embrace.  
  
"There's nothing to forgive, I'm just so glad to see you after all this time. Where's Ambrosias?"  
  
"Trembling behind some foliage, I shouldn't wonder. Some brave soldier he turned out to be."  
  
"Well, perhaps you should find him whilst I say hello to Ludo."  
  
"Sawah?" Ludo said as she ambled over to the gigantic furry beast. "Sawah change."  
  
"In what way?" She asked as she hugged him as she had all her old friends. "How have I changed?"  
  
"Sawah, big!"  
  
"Yeah, I'm older, a lot older than I was last time I was here," she answered, smiling despite herself. "And . pwetty."  
  
"Well I don't know about that, with crow's feet forming around my eyes and I find the odd grey hair every now and then."  
  
"Again, milady, you are too modest," Sir Didymus confirmed as he rode back up to the throng on Ambrosias.  
  
"Thanks, but that's enough already." She smiled, and then turned to Hoggle who was still awestruck at the passing confrontation with the Griffin. "So where do we go from here?"  
  
"Well, we could's retrace our steps through Fiery Wood so far as the turnpike, then turn North through the junkyard and onto the gates of the Goblin City, but that's could take a while!"  
  
"How long, Sir Hoggle?"  
  
"Four Hours," Hoggle answered.  
  
"Well we have three and a half tops," Sarah exclaimed as she looked at her wristwatch.  
  
". down?" Ludo asked motioning to the ground and beneath.  
  
"No," Hoggle shook his head, "we have's to get back to the turnpike whichever's way we decide to goes, it will take's too long. If we hadn't had that set too's with the Griffin ."  
  
"But we did!" Sarah said her facing lighting up. "And as it believes my pledge then it may just help us to get to the castle."  
  
"No!" Hoggle shouted.  
  
"What do you have in mind, milady?"  
  
"No, no ways, there's no ways you're getting me on that thing." Hoggle's stubborn streak was surfacing.  
  
"Come on, where's your sense of adventure." Sarah asked looking at him with puppy dog eyes.  
  
"No!"  
  
"Oh well, we'll have to leave you here then. That will be such a pity as well, I know how much you want to see Jareth squirm." She breathed into his ear. "I need you to be there Hoggle to make sure I don't weaken, but if your not there then I will be forced to stay and become whatever Jareth wishes of me."  
  
That was low, how could Sarah lower the stakes so much as to get him to fly to the castle on the Griffin, but what else could he do? He had, after all, told her he would help her anyway he could. "Okay," he nodded.  
  
"Ludo . fly?"  
  
"Yes, mm mm," Sarah said as she nodded her head profusely, walking over to where the Griffin sat. It was a long shot but she knew enough of folklore to know that Griffin's were very loyal, especially to those who had shown loyalty to them and their masters.  
  
She cleared her throat before continuing. "Griffin? As you have validated my devotion to your King by way of letting me pass the path that you had guarded, would it be in your power to take myself and my friends to the castle beyond the Goblin City so that I may join his royal highness and shower him with my dedication and affection?"  
  
The Griffin seemingly mulled over her further request of him and deciding that she could not do his master any harm bowed his neck down completely to touch the ground in front of him.  
  
"I guess that means we're on," she called over her shoulder to the other's as she moved her way towards the Griffin in order that she could climb onto his back. The other's followed suit, Ludo holding onto Ambrosias and Sir Didymus and Hoggle holding onto whatever he could in order to stay on the beast.  
  
Once everyone was safely on it's back, the Griffin lifted its neck and body in turn. It opened its wings out to full span and began to beat the air, slowly rising from the ground as it did so. Once it was high enough it began to use it's wings, claws, paws and tail to manoeuvre and fly over to the castle, and it excited everyone except Hoggle, he was worrying about how high they all were.  
  
Sarah looked out over the side as far as she could, in order that she could watch the scenery as they flew over it. Parts of the labyrinth were visible, the forest, swooping over the junkyard and finally over the walls of the Goblin City. 'No gigantic mechanical goblin to deal with this time,' she thought.  
  
The Griffin spied the ground that he wanted to land on and slowly glided down. Stretching out its claws and paws before itself, it touched ground lightly then bent its body and neck down so that it's passengers could climb down.  
  
"Thanks the gods that's I'ms in one piece," Hoggle said as he put his feet back onto solid grown.  
  
Sarah rolled her eyes at him, she was never going to hear him say it had been fun even it would stop him from dying.  
  
Walking around to the Griffin's head, Sarah bowed and said thank you and as she retraced her steps she realised that the Griffin had set them down in a beautiful garden full of lover's nooks, flower beds, pergolas and seated areas. However, her mission was not over yet she had to get to the castle. She had to get to Jareth. And she had to tell him exactly what she thought of him. "Are you guy's ready?" She asked. All heads nodded in her direction. "Good then let's get this show on the road." And with that said she was off, skirting her way around the imposing building to the great doors, ready to make her entrance known to the Goblin King. 


	8. Lost love

Disclaimer: Sarah, Jareth and all other mainstream characters from the Labyrinth do not belong to me.  
  
Synopsis: Sarah & Jareth have to prove their love for one another. Sarah runs the gauntlet again, but what will Jareth do?  
  
Everything I do  
  
Chapter 7 - Love lost  
  
"Sire?" Luther tried desperately to waken the King but to no avail. He was sleeping too soundly, not that that was a bad thing with his sleep patterns of late. Luther pushed his shoulder slightly hoping that would do the trick, he raised his voice as well and repeated, "Sire?"  
  
"Hmm, yes, Luther what is it?" Jareth responded although his head was still sunken in the depths of his soft, silk covered, feather pillows and his eyes were closed.  
  
"Well, sire, you asked me to wake you when there was something not quite right, well something isn't quite right!"  
  
"By the heavens above, what is it?" Jareth's eyes were now opening to the scene that was unfolding before him. Luther was pacing at an amazingly rapid rate; Jareth had never seen Luther do that before. "Stop pacing and kindly tell me what the devil was so important that you had to wake me from my slumber!"  
  
"Jareth, do you know anything about a Griffin?"  
  
"A Griffin?"  
  
"Yes, sire, a Griffin?"  
  
"Did it block Sarah's path between Fiery Wood and the Bog."  
  
"Yes, sire."  
  
"Yes, Luther, I informed it to capture her and bring her here. Is she here?"  
  
"Yes, sire, but ."  
  
"What Luther, if she is here then it is by the hand of the Griffin, is it not?"  
  
"No, sire, it is not."  
  
"It is not, eh? So if she is here then how can it be that she did not come by way of the Griffin?"  
  
"Well, she is here by way of the Griffin, sire. Only not how you intended." Jareth was now out of his bed pacing his chamber, "If it was not by way of my intention, how did she get here?" He was angry; Luther would have to tread carefully.  
  
"On its back, sire." He smiled nervously at his friend and King.  
  
"Luther, is this story of yours accurate, did you see it with your own eyes."  
  
"Yes, sire, every detail. From watching the Griffin attempt to capture Sarah. To her ensuing explanation to the Griffin regarding her devotion to you. The Griffin, deciding upon her words as truth allowed her free passage on the road it guarded. Her imminent meeting with Sir Didymus and Ludo. And finally her skill in imploring it to fly her and her friends to the castle, this being the only option left open to them as time was running short for them."  
  
The King sat on the edge of his bed, a faint smile touching the edges of his lips as he basked in her radiance. "She is smart and courageous, my Sarah."  
  
"Jareth, it would be unwise to call her that just yet."  
  
"Why, Luther? She has fought her way here for a second time to secure a place for herself with me. Let there be no doubt, she is my Sarah!"  
  
"Sire, you have always asked me to speak as I feel. I am your good friend you know that. But I beg you, do not make any rash decisions or judgements about Sarah's intentions until you have the chance to speak with her. You said yourself, she is smart."  
  
"But she has no idea what has been going on here and I intend to make sure she never finds out."  
  
"Jareth, human's base their relations on trust. If there is no trust then there is no relationship worth having."  
  
"All she needs is me, to love her and be her slave."  
  
"Sire, please, I beg you ."  
  
"Enough! I have heard what you say but I trust my instinct on this matter, Luther. Now go and ready yourself in the throne room, she must still believe that I am locked away in one of my oubliettes."  
  
Luther was beside himself. How could things have gone so wrong? How could his friend not believe what he was telling him? Why was he acting like such a fool? Luther gave one last pleading look at Jareth, but to no avail, Jareth dismissed him and he was left with the burden of carrying on with this charade. He only hoped that it would go a little better than he could expect, although, knowing much of Sarah's steadfast ways from his own, and Jareth's observations he doubted that any good would come from this. In fact, he believed, there would be a lot of hurt, cruelty and devastation, especially for his friend.  
  
He walked slowly down the staircase and reached the throne room in record time. Taking a seat in Jareth's throne, he readied himself for the inevitable. It would soon arrive.  
  
***  
  
Sarah couldn't remember the doors being so heavy before but they must have been. Ludo and the other's helped to push open the gigantic oak doors that shut out the world. She moved on through to the throne room and came to a stand still in front of the 'King' on his throne.  
  
"Luther, so nice to see you again." She remarked.  
  
"As it is you, Sarah." Luther eyed her suspiciously, what was her game then?  
  
"So I have completed the Labyrinth in the allotted time and ask for my prize."  
  
"In order to claim him you must find him."  
  
"Really!" Her smile was entirely false but wide all the same. She turned to look at her friend's. "I'm expected to find him, after all that I have done, through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered," she mocked. A look of complete pleasure swept her face, she was having fun. "Where on Earth, sorry in the Underground, would he be? He has been moved from the oubliette that he was in I take it?"  
  
"Yes," Luther replied. What was she up to?  
  
"Hmm, now where could he be? In his dungeons? No too cold, dark and damp. In the Escher room? No too predictable. In his chambers? In his dreams." A look of guile crept over her features. "Where is he Luther, where is your King?"  
  
"I'm the King." Luther protested, but Sarah was not to be swayed.  
  
"If the King were in an oubliette then he couldn't have got out could he? So if he couldn't get out, without help of course, how could one of his crystals? A crystal so pure and true that, no offence Luther, could certainly never be one of yours and filled with such an air of emotion that only I would know whom it was from. How can it be that although there would be no escape for him then there would be escape for anything else? I am perplexed." She eyed Luther, who was know looking between her and Hoggle in wonder as to where this could all be leading.  
  
"No offence taken," he finally got out, "I only wish that I could perform such tricks."  
  
"Indeed, Luther, indeed." She finally gave Luther the look that told him everything. He knew that she knew something of what had transpired and it was obvious that Hoggle had not done or said anything else to Sarah to make her believe that the King was in fact very much in love with her. The look on her face told him that she had had enough of his games and that they were going to end right now!  
  
She looked up slightly toward the ceiling. "Jareth," she called with a hint of anger in her voice, "would you mind getting you bony little arse down here so that I could convey my sentiment to you. Face to face."  
  
Hoggle went to her side. "You's don't really want to be getting him angry now does ya," he whispered.  
  
"Hoggle, bare with me, this will go better than expected, I assure you."  
  
They heard the footfalls of the King as he made his way down the staircase. Luther immediately removed himself from Jareth's throne. Apart from the fact that it wasn't his, he felt the King would need to sit once Sarah had told him exactly what she had thought of him. As he appeared around the final corner Sarah could only look on in wonder. Her imagining of him was correct; he was as beautiful now as he had ever been even now to her more grown up eyes. Her heart raced, how was she going to get through this. She would have to keep thinking about trust and the lack of it. It was going to be difficult, however, as he was such a formidable figure.  
  
Jareth made his way around to the front of his throne but instead of sitting there he walked down the last remaining steps to stand directly in front of Sarah, they stood about a foot apart. She was so beautiful; age had done her a justice that he would be unlikely to forget. He shifted slightly, her stance was unnerving, and he would have to be careful otherwise she would make him crack. If only he could touch her hair, embrace her, kiss her lips and then skim his thumb over they're swelling. He had to get a grip before he lost it and her completely.  
  
'Her eyes' he thought, 'they always seem to calm me down in our dreams.' His glance shifted upwards to meet her stare but there was nothing soothing about it today. He could see love there, and passion but above all, he saw hate. And it was in abundance.  
  
Sarah on the other hand was quite calm now. It had taken every inch of her to stop her from running completely into his arms at his whim but she had managed it. He was wearing the deep maroon velvet frock coat and breeches that he had worn in the Escher room on her last visit, and he looked as gorgeous as ever in it. She wanted to touch the silky strands of his silvery blond hair, which was formed into its usual magical halo around his head. She wanted to look into his mismatched eyes to see what they would give away but instead she found herself staring a little higher so as to avoid any kind of contact. It was then she noticed his looks upon her. His eyes had looked down towards her lips as she continued to spy, wondering what he was thinking about. All too soon their eyes locked onto each other. He was searching hers for a clue as to her demeanour and he soon found it. But Sarah couldn't understand what she found within his. Pure, fragile, unadulterated love. No question. But that confused her even more.  
  
They stood like that for what seemed to be hours, trying to interpret what signals the other was giving out. It was Jareth that spoke first.  
  
"So Sarah, I have kindly brought you my 'bony little arse'. What is it that you wish to say to me?"  
  
She smiled at the replica reference he made but soon again formed her non- committal, poker face. "I wish to tell you that although I love you very deeply, Jareth, I can never trust you. I ask that you send me back home and forget I ever exist, and I shall eventually disregard you too."  
  
"There will be no need for that, Sarah. You will stay here with me and eventually you will learn to trust me again. If you love me then that is all we really need. I give myself to you; as a Fae that pledge means I will never leave your side, and always love you for eternity."  
  
"Jareth, you expect me to stay. After everything that has transpired you believe that I would just stay here, against my will and what, have sex with you every time you feel like a bit of lurve." Sarah couldn't help herself.  
  
"I expect nothing that would see you unhappy." He responded, now unsure of where their conversation would end.  
  
"Okay, so why lie to me. Why treat me like some starry-eyed teenager who has fallen in love with her favourite teacher. I can't believe some of the things you have done to me, Jareth. It wouldn't even surprise me if these damn dreams I was having were being concocted by you and placed in my deep subconscious!" Sarah was now at bursting point and she didn't care. She didn't care if the Goblin City could hear her, she didn't care if the Seelie Court heard her. In fact, she didn't care if the whole of the Above or Underground could hear her. She was mad and it was making Jareth very uncomfortable.  
  
"Dear Sarah, I have no control over our dreams, and" he soothed, "how exactly have I lied to you?"  
  
"Don't Jareth, I really don't think you want me to spell it out."  
  
"No please, Sarah. Point me in the right direction so that I can make amends."  
  
"You don't get it do you. Okay, it started when Luther arrived. He told me that you were locked in an oubliette because of your love for me. He then went on to tell me that in order for me to make sure that you were never forgotten we would both be tested, as a way of finding out how far we would lay down our lives for the other. I was to run the Labyrinth again, in order that I may claim you as my prize. And that was fine; I believed with all my heart that this truly wasn't some kind of game. When I received your crystal it was even clearer to me. Even now I still can't believe those emotions were all fallacy, but obviously I was wrong. And, if at the time I had met up with the Griffin I hadn't known about your scheme then I would have died for you then. You were my world, Jareth," she said softly, almost in tears, "but now you are nothing to me."  
  
"Sarah?" Jareth asked quietly, his heart breaking in front of her very eyes.  
  
"No, Jareth, nothing you ever say or do will ever change what you have done to me. I wish to god that I had never read that book, that I had never wished Toby away, and most especially, I wish I had never met you at all."  
  
Everyone looked on as Jareth's world was torn apart, limb from limb. And nobody was more surprised than him when they all witnessed Sarah disappear. "What in all of Hades just happened?" He asked flatly.  
  
"Jareth, King of the Goblins," a voice boomed out around Jareth's throne room, "you are to make your way to the Seelie Court immediately, any delay and a higher penalty will befall you."  
  
And before anyone could say Jack Robinson or even Jareth Robinson, he too had disappeared.  
  
"Well, I guess that's it then," said Luther.  
  
"Yes," the other three replied in unison, still stunned from Sarah's disappearance.  
  
"Didn't she say this would goes better than expected, for who? Do ya think's Sarah will be alright without's us?" Hoggle asked no one in particular.  
  
"I don't suppose she will remember anything of what has happened today, with the exact countenance of her wish." Luther answered.  
  
"No, suppose not," Hoggle added, "I'ms not gonna be alright without's her though."  
  
"No," Luther agreed, "I think we should put our heads together and come up with a plan to get her back." He looked at each of the friends in turn as they nodded their approval. "Good, well we best get started, now that court is in session we haven't a moment to lose." 


	9. A love rekindled?

Disclaimer: Sarah, Jareth and all other mainstream characters from the Labyrinth do not belong to me.  
  
Synopsis: Sarah & Jareth have to prove their love for one another. Sarah runs the gauntlet again, but what will Jareth do?  
  
Everything I do  
  
Chapter 8 - A love rekindled?  
  
Sarah had had a very slack morning at the shop and at two o'clock she had decided to make it a short day, giving herself a bit of time to herself for a change. Stopping by the post office on her way home she was comfortably within the confines of her cottage in a matter of thirty minutes. And from the moment she had shut the front door of her cottage to the outside she had kicked back, thinking that she would read for the better part of the afternoon. It was a nice day, after all, and it would be good to sit outside in her perfectly manicured back garden, with all credit for that to her neighbour, Jacob.  
  
She switched on the radio that sat on the windowsill in the kitchen and flicked the switch on the kettle; pulling out a teapot from one of the overhead cupboards she set that down and waited for the kettle to boil. She quickly warmed the pot before putting in the leaves and pouring the boiled water over them to allow them to infuse. She found her mug and poured in a little milk before she filled the mug up with the strained tea. Picking up her mug, the sandwiches that she had made for herself earlier on that day and her well worn copy of 'Pride and Prejudice', she decided to sit outside on her patio.  
  
She could still hear the radio from her seat on the patio and absently hummed along with the tune it was playing. Halfway through the second verse the song appeared to change, as another melody seemed to take its place, it wasn't a song she had heard before but she liked it all the same.  
  
Absently, she picked up words of the chorus and sang along with the unfamiliar ballad, " . makes no sense at all, every thrill has gone . da da da da da da da . I'll be there for you-oo-oo . world falls down . falling . falling in love."  
  
"That was 'As the world falls down' by David Bowie, as requested by Jareth Reynolds for his beloved Lady Sarah and he would like me to say, on his behalf, that he is so sorry for what has happened between the two of you and he wants to make amends to you as soon as possible. Oh and all you young women out there that adore old DB, make sure you see the film that this song comes from. It's called 'Labyrinth' and David plays the part of the menacing yet handsome Goblin King. Now onto our next request of the afternoon Guns N Roses and 'Sweet Child o' Mine', enjoy folks!"  
  
"Hope that Sarah is luckier than me" Sarah said to herself. "And I hope Jareth makes it up to her real good!" A sly smiled tipped the edges of her mouth as she thought about how lucky that particular Sarah may well be. "I'll have to remember to take a look at that film too, David Bowie, mm mm."  
  
Getting herself comfortable on her sun lounger, she laid back and opened her book at the marked page. It wasn't as if she hadn't read that particular passage a hundred times before or seen it played out but it always made her shiver with the anticipation of how Lizzie was going to feel about Darcy's first declaration of love to her and the continuing struggles of them both as they allowed the love they had for each other to take over their lives. She could imagine being Lizzie, the proud young woman that never could quite understand why Darcy acted the way that he did, but eventually falling for him, hook, line and sinker. And Lizzie did always get her man, something Sarah was unfortunate not to have. However, she could still dream couldn't she?  
  
She had always firmly believed that she would have met the man she intended to spend the rest of her life with by the time she was twenty-five, being the hopeless romantic that she was. However, this hadn't been the case and in a few short months she would be facing her thirty-first birthday, a day she didn't relish coming.  
  
The telephone rang bringing Sarah out of her slightly depressive state. Putting her book down quickly on top of the patio table she rushed into the house and picked up the extension in the office. "Hello?" She said into the mouthpiece.  
  
"Sarah, it's Gary. Just wanted to say 'hi' after last night an' all."  
  
"Hi, Gary," she said slightly flustered from her dash indoors. "I'm sorry about what happened last night, I just couldn't take you for granted any longer. I'll always love you as my friend, you know that, but we could never be more than that. I only wish I had stayed away in the first place, I never meant to hurt you."  
  
"Hey, its okay. Don't beat yourself up over it. It was as much my fault as it was yours. I should have realised that you and I could never be more than what we are . good friends. Sounds like some crummy cliché doesn't it."  
  
"Yeah, kind of," she chuckled.  
  
"Anyway, I should have just been satisfied with that; and I should've turned you down when you asked me out."  
  
"There was no way you would ever have resisted my charms," Sarah joked, "I'd have got you in the end one way or another!"  
  
"Maybe!"  
  
"No maybe about it, Mr Gary Lambert. And if it is any consolation you are going to make someone extremely happy one day, you certainly have a knack at making love."  
  
"Thanks, I think!"  
  
"It was good, Gary, very good."  
  
"Thanks," his voice brightened, "there was another reason for my call, we had a new guy start today at school, teaching English lit and Latin, must be a glutton for punishment, anyway he kind of got left with me so I invited him out with us all on Friday, do you wanna tag along?"  
  
"Is this some feeble attempt at trying to match me up with someone. I mean is he 'prince' material?"  
  
"Sarah, I told you to find your prince. I'm not saying that you'll like him 'cause you probably won't. He's quite thin but strong, blonde, has these odd eyes and he's a lot older than you."  
  
"That describes you!" She mocked as she looked over to her latest drawing of her 'dream lover'. His 'odd' eyes were smiling up at her from beyond the paper filling her with a sense of an imminent yet exciting, first acquaintance. Shaking the thoughts from her head she continued her conversation with Gary.  
  
"That also describes him." Gary offered. "So are you gonna come or what?"  
  
"Yeah, no harm in meeting this guy, he may turn out to be a very good friend too! Where, when, why?"  
  
"As to the when and where say seven at 'The Black Horse'. As to why, you'll have to make your own decision."  
  
"Okay. What's his name? You know if I get there before any of you, at least I can be civil."  
  
"Jareth . what was his surname . oh yeah, Reynolds. Jareth Reynolds."  
  
Sarah stood transfixed to the spot, wasn't that the name of the guy that had put that request out on local radio. No it couldn't be. "What, Gary? Sorry my mind just wandered for a second there."  
  
"Why do you know him?"  
  
"No, just a coincidence, I think! So I'll see you on Friday."  
  
"Yeah, bye!"  
  
"Bye!" Well if nothing else, Sarah felt Friday evening was going to be interesting. Especially when she met this Jareth Reynolds and his, what did Gary call them? . his 'odd' eyes.  
  
***  
  
Friday had come along all too soon for Sarah. No sooner had she decided that it would be a good idea to buy something new to wear on the evening, the evening had arrived. She had gone into the nearest large town to where she lived that morning in order to find something suitable for her evening out, but ended up buying a pair of jeans she had seen a couple of weeks previously and a black top. And now she was stood in front of her full- length mirror, deciding whether or not the top was right for the occasion. She wondered if it was slightly too dressy for a local pub. 'Not if your fifteen,' she mused.  
  
And for the first time in her life she was feeling anxious about going out with her friends. But why? She had been out with them hundreds of times before, so why should this time be any different? She was nervous about meeting Jareth Reynolds but again she was normally calm about meeting new people, she had even used a dating agency for a little while a few years previously and she had never felt this tense then. It was as if she expected this man to hold the key to her future, or past, or both.  
  
It was now or never, she gave herself one last look in the mirror and made sure that her hair and makeup were both in check. She added a pair of earrings and grabbed her tan suede jacket for her short walk home, it was bound to be colder later on and she couldn't afford to get hypothermia or anything worse.  
  
Closing the front door firmly behind her after checking she had her keys, she turned left out of her gateway and made her way to 'The Black Horse'. It was only a five-minute walk and she was glad of it, greeting the friendly familiar faces she passed on her way. The evening was still quite bright too with a faint breeze, this along with her brisk pace giving a slightly rosy tint to her otherwise porcelain cheeks.  
  
As she strode across the car park she noticed that Gary's car was parked up. The beaten up VW beetle with its weathered paintwork and decaying body were strangely a welcome sight. At least Sarah would not have to walk into the pub knowing that she may have to make small talk with a man that would possibly make her more uneasy than she currently was. She walked into the small lobby and placed her hand firmly on the door handle. 'Calm down, calm down,' she kept saying to herself over and over, trying to soothe her ever increasing nervousness. She watched as her hand was shaking uncontrollably. What was wrong with her?  
  
"Could I possibly help you with that," a crisp English accent spoke from just behind her left shoulder.  
  
"No, I'm okay. I don't really like walking into places like this when I'm on my own."  
  
"Are you on a first date or something, you do seem a little tense!" The voice remarked.  
  
"No, I'm meeting some friends. There," Sarah added for effect as she opened the door into the lounge area, "it wasn't stuck after all!"  
  
"No, well thanks for opening the door for me." The owner of the voice gave her quick once over as he passed by her into the lounge and disappeared around the corner. She watched as the door closed too again, only then wishing that she had used the initiative to follow him through. 'He must think I am a complete and utter idiot,' she thought and added, 'but I don't know him so who cares. Come on Sarah, snap to it, take any longer and they'll be sending out a search party.'  
  
Grabbing hold of the handle once more she pulled the door open to the lounge and this time stepped through it. She noticed one of her friends, Alan, at the bar and he motioned getting her a drink whilst he was there. She nodded her agreement and walked around to the snug that she and her friends usually occupied.  
  
"Sarah, you're here at last," Gary said in a bemused tone. "Weren't quite sure whether you remembered you're way here or not." He sniggered and most of the other's joined in.  
  
Sarah stood there with a bemused look on her face and grinned, trust Gary to make light of her timekeeping skills. How late was she anyway? Placing her jacket over the back of one of the last remaining vacant chairs she sat down whilst saying her hellos to everyone. A tall glass filled to the brim with a sparkling liquid and ice was placed directly in front of her.  
  
"Vodka and tonic, right?" Alan said.  
  
"Cheers, Alan, how much do I owe you?"  
  
"Get the next one."  
  
She nodded, accepting the next round.  
  
"So, not only do I have to offer my help to open a door, I also have to give up my seat for the same lady." The familiar tones of an English accent quipped from her right.  
  
'Oh my god, I want to die,' she thought to herself as she raised her head to level with the table's last occupant. Shocked, she sat and blatantly stared at the man sat to her right. So Gary was right, he was everything he said he would be, and more handsome than she could ever dare to have hoped. Not to mention he carried a certain resemblance to her last drawing.  
  
"Are you okay? I was only teasing." He asked.  
  
"Sarah, this is Jareth Reynolds," Gary interrupted.  
  
"Hmm," she said, quickly looking at Gary trying to register what he was saying but just as quickly turning her head back again to continue to stare at Jareth.  
  
"I'm Jareth Reynolds," he said offering Sarah his hand. "And you are?"  
  
Taking his hand in her own she shook it vigorously. "Sarah," she said.  
  
"Sarah?"  
  
Realisation suddenly struck her, she was definitely attracted to this man but should she really be giving herself away so quickly. "Oh god, I'm sorry, you must think me so rude. Sarah . Sarah Williams. I own the antiques store in the village."  
  
Still shaking hands he said, "Well, its nice to meet you Sarah, I hope that I will have time to come and visit your shop, when I am not too busy."  
  
"Yes," she said, "I would like that." She grinned, whilst she thought to herself, 'I would like that . me.'  
  
"I'm very glad to hear that," he answered whilst he retrieved his hand. He turned away from her and began to talk to Alan about something or other; she tried not to pay too much attention to it. She quickly looked around the table trying to keep herself in check and noticed Gary staring at her. He motioned for her to join him at the bar and she followed him over like some kind of lost sheep.  
  
"What was that all about?"  
  
"Gary, I don't know, but there is something I need to show you. Will you walk me home later?"  
  
"Yeah, sure. Are you okay? It just seems that you like this fella an awful lot but you don't know anything about him!"  
  
"Gary, I can't explain anything to you right now, and I know I've acted like a complete maniac, but," she turned slightly in order to look at Jareth, "I know him, I don't know how or why but I know him, and before I came here this evening," she turned back to Gary, "I knew something like this was going to happen." 


	10. Are my dreams reality?

A/N: Thanks everyone, for all the wonderful reviews and AIW, great pointer, grammar was never really a strong point for me. Anyway, thanks again, the reviews are what keep everyone going and its good to know that you all seem to be enjoying the story. So, on that note, lets continue.  
  
Disclaimer: Sarah, Jareth and all other mainstream characters from the Labyrinth do not belong to me.  
  
Synopsis: Sarah & Jareth have to prove their love for one another. Sarah runs the gauntlet again, but what will Jareth do?  
  
Everything I do  
  
Chapter 9 - Are my dreams reality?  
  
"Good night everyone!" Gary called over his shoulder as he took hold of Sarah's un-waving arm, "see you on Monday, Jareth!"  
  
"Yes, see you then." Jareth exclaimed as he began to get himself into the back of the waiting taxi. "Goodnight Sarah," he added.  
  
Sarah turned to him and waved quickly as she saw him close the door behind him. Her face was red hot. How could someone she knew very little about make her blush as profusely as she was now doing, and with such a small gesture.  
  
"You know we could stick you in an oil drum and allow fifteen homeless people to warm their hands on your face, unless that is just the chilly air getting to your cheeks," Gary teased.  
  
"Don't," Sarah stood shaking her head slightly, "don't even joke about it. The way I have been tonight anyone would think I was some loony just escaped from the local institution, not a thirty year old 'grown' woman."  
  
"Well, why don't you just tell me what you've been itching to tell me all night. That way when I do arrive at the mad house I may be able to prevent any personal injury of the patient . or 'chaperone'." He giggled lightly until he saw her face. Stopping himself abruptly he smiled and carried on walking in the direction of Sarah's cottage.  
  
"It isn't bloody funny, Gary. I am so screwed up about this whole thing. You know I told you that I haven't drawn anything or completed any artwork since I left college?"  
  
Gary shrugged and nodded his head, motioning for her to continue.  
  
"Well, you see . I lied. I have been, for a while, I kind of never really gave up."  
  
Gary was now nodding even more. "I guessed!" He exclaimed.  
  
"Yeah? Okay, I should have known that you would know one way or the other. Anyway, you know how I always got on better drawing my fantasies and dreams?"  
  
"Is this about your prince?" Gary asked astutely, bordering on sarcastic.  
  
"Are you going to be serious?"  
  
"Sure, Sarah. I know better than anyone what those drawings meant to you, mean to you; I knew that the face you kept seeing in your dreams was the man you always believed to be your dream lover. I also knew, with eyes wide open I hasten to add, that you envisaged every man you went out with to emanate him in every detail. And when we all came up short, you were gone . in a flash. I even had the audacity to believe that I could be the one to break this spell that he had over you, I thought I could make you love me, like I love you, but it wasn't to be. So, I'm here for you as a friend, as a proxy big brother if you like. I just want to see you happy, which is not what I'm seeing right now."  
  
By the time Gary had finished his short speech the couple had reached the front door to Sarah's cottage. Sarah rummaged through her purse trying to find her key and, on doing so, she pushed it into the lock, opening the door in order to let them both in. She quickly flicked on the light to the lounge and removed her jacket, throwing it over the back of one of the chairs as she moved towards the back office.  
  
Gary followed suit as he watched the retreating form move off in front of him, not too sure if her intention was for him to go after her. She didn't reappear so he figured she wanted him to join her in the one room he had never had admittance too on previous visits.  
  
Sarah began to talk as she heard Gary walk through the house. "The thing is Gary, I'm not sure about any of it anymore. I know that I have never met Jareth before in my whole life, but if that is true how come I know every detail of his face, how do I know his expression, his exact colouring, and most especially how do I know the unusual fact that each of his eyes are a different colour and that I got them the right way round?"  
  
Gary made his way into the office taking a position just behind Sarah. He gasped with astonishment. Seeing the pictures before him, he now knew he wasn't surprised with Sarah's earlier display but he was shocked at the flawless resemblance between the artwork and the real thing. How could she have matched Jareth so perfectly if tonight had truly been their first meeting?  
  
"Jesus, Sarah. Is this some kind of joke?"  
  
"What do you mean? I guess I thought you might take this badly . but not this badly!" Her eyes were wide with shock as she turned to find the support that she thought Gary was going to be able to give her.  
  
"I'm sorry, Sarah, but this is ."  
  
"Sick? Bad taste? A nightmare? What, Gary?"  
  
His demeanour softened as he began to realise what Sarah must have been going through all evening. He smiled slightly, after all, this was extremely good work, even if it was bizarre. ". Incredible, this is incredible. I think you missed your vocation in life." He said looking down at her and playfully nudging her.  
  
Sarah brought her hand up to her mouth as tears started forming in her eyes. "Thanks," she blurted out as Gary took her into his arms. He carefully guided her across the room to sit her down on the sofa that occupied the wall under the window.  
  
Gently stroking her hair with his left hand he took her right hand in his and started to stroke the back of it with his thumb, trying to soothe her as Sarah's crying coursed through her. He had to ease her distress. "I was trying to get you to smile," he tried, "didn't think you'd go all weak on me though and start this malarkey."  
  
Sarah's crying began to ease and she brought her eyes up to meet his and Gary noticed a faint smile wash over her features. She was going to be okay, for now at least.  
  
"I'm sorry," Sarah began. "It's just I don't know what to do! Before tonight ever happened I had my dreams, my realities and had them kept away in here, away from prying eyes and people that would make no sense of my visions. You see that one there?" She said pointing to latest of her keepsakes, "That was the last one I drew. The night I left you in fact. I had had a pretty wild dream, probably one of the wildest I have ever had, that was the reason I had decided to leave you then. I couldn't go on lying to you. Anyway, when I got back here I had this overwhelming urge to draw him. I was like a thing possessed, sketching and detailing, I didn't let up until I had finished it. I wanted to remember him looking like that for some reason, kind of 'normal' I guess, considering how I depicted him in all the other pictures.  
  
"It was strange too, the other day when you called. I had been out in the garden so the nearest phone extension was this one. As soon as I had answered the call to you and you started talking about Jareth I knew I was going to meet the man from those portraits tonight. I don't know how I can't explain it, I just knew.  
  
"Thing is what do I do? If I stay away and Jareth Reynolds truly is my prince, then I'm going to miss finding out if this man truly is my soul mate. But if I do get to know him and we get to a point that I feel I can trust him . what . I show him this little collection and he then believes I am deranged and turns tail. What am I going to do?"  
  
"How do you feel about him? The man in the pictures, I mean, Sarah."  
  
"This is going to sound so stupid." She winced.  
  
"Try me!"  
  
"I believe . no, I know I am in love with him. Don't ask my how I can love someone I a, don't know, and b, is a figment of my imagination but I do, very much."  
  
"A very good figment, Sarah." Gary's comment being met with a wry smile. "What do your instincts tell you about the man you met this evening?"  
  
"Well, I am obviously attracted to him, he is very handsome and I believe that we could have a good relationship. On face value, he does like a joke but he seems sincere with it. I like him, Gary, and not because of these damn pictures either."  
  
"Good, that's a start. Do you think he was attracted to you?"  
  
"I don't know," she said with all honesty and then smiled, blushing, "I hope so."  
  
Gary smiled too. "I think he does, he may have got the impression tonight that you were someone not in their right mind, but I think he'll make the effort to see you again. And I got the impression that he would want to do that soon."  
  
Sarah eyed him suspiciously. "What on earth gave you that idea?"  
  
"Call it, male intuition."  
  
"Ha! Male Intuition? I call it, male testosterone!"  
  
"Call it what you will, Sarah! But I know what I saw. He really likes you. There was just something in the way the two of you looked at one another that nobody could deny what was going on between you both. There was definitely a spark. Just do me a favour though, be careful. I don't want to be a godfather just yet!"  
  
"I'll be as careful with him as I was with you," she deadpanned, as she laughed for possibly the first time that evening since they had all left the pub.  
  
"Oh god, we're all in trouble then. Seriously though, Sarah, I will be here for you every step of the way. And if he does turn out to be your lifelong partner tell him about this" he motioned to the portrait covered walls, "as soon as you feel it is the right time, don't wait as it may cause unnecessary pain for you both."  
  
"Okay. Thanks Gary," she said smiling. "I'm really getting tired, I think I'm going to hit the hay." Making her way to the door she stopped and turned back. "Do you want to stay? The spare beds made up."  
  
"No, I'm going to make tracks."  
  
"Okay, well I'll see you soon then."  
  
"Course, probably sooner than you think." He returned as he made his way slowly back through the house and to the front door, picking his coat up on the way. Sarah had followed opening the door for him when they had reached the threshold. He leant over and kissed the top of her head, "You going to be okay?"  
  
"I'll be fine." She answered. "You know me, stronger than an ox."  
  
"That's what I'm afraid of!"  
  
"I'll be fine! Go! Go Now!" Sarah ushered him out onto the doorstep and then remembered something she had forgotten to ask earlier on. "Gary, wait a mo! On Tuesday, you didn't see Jareth use the telephone at school, did you?"  
  
"Mm, I don't think so. Wait, yeah, now I come to think of it he was on the telephone when I was introduced to him. After he came off the phone he said he was putting a request in with the local radio station for his brother or something. Turned out his brother and his wife had had an upset, he wanted to request a song for her and he wasn't allowed to use the telephone at work, had no mobile either. So Jareth said he would sort it out for him. Why?"  
  
"No reason," Sarah said, slightly confused but smiling to herself nonetheless, "I'll give you a ring Gary."  
  
Perplexed, Gary shrugged his shoulders and made his way up the path. "Okay, speak to you soon then. Bye."  
  
"Bye." And with that Sarah shut the door, locked it and promptly went to bed. She decided that she was going to have a great dream tonight as now she had a name for her prince, and his name was Jareth Reynolds. 


	11. Court in session

Disclaimer: Sarah, Jareth and all other mainstream characters from the Labyrinth do not belong to me.  
  
Synopsis: Sarah & Jareth have to prove their love for one another. Sarah runs the gauntlet again, but what will Jareth do?  
  
Everything I do  
  
Chapter 10 - Court in session  
  
Jareth sprawled in his throne pondering, well, his second hand mint green velour wing backed chair. He was in his usual thinking pose of left leg over the arm, left arm draped over the back and supporting his chin with his right fist.  
  
He decided that he really wasn't very comfortable, male human clothes just didn't give much in the right places, not like his usual attire. Getting up to stand he went to the window and sat on the cushioned window seat that resided there. From his seat he was able to watch nature go about its business, even if he couldn't join it. His keen owl senses he still possessed but he was unable to transform, and by god did he want to transform right now. A swift flight out amongst the trees and long grasses he could do with above anything else. Something to soothe and calm him from the torturous night he had just spent sitting next to his beloved and not being able to say anything to her. Not for the fact that he didn't want to talk to her but more like afraid that he would let something slip, like "hey, I'm the Goblin King, I reside in a place called the Labyrinth, which happens to be Underground and I have been deeply in love with you since you conquered both the overgrown maze and me!" He smiled absently at his thought.  
  
And now he was caged in this awful apartment without his 'normal' luxuries and creature comforts. Apart from his bed; the Seelie court had allowed him one comfort and he had decided that even if everything else in his life was going to miserable then at least he could sleep soundly and maybe dream of his Sarah.  
  
But even the dreams had evaded him of late. He had been sleeping well but he had been unable to see her, it was as if all contact between the two had been switched off. 'The court had probably intervened with that too,' he thought bitterly. 'I certainly can't believe my parents had a hand in all of this either.' That angered him more than anything, they were supposed to love him without question but he couldn't get passed the fact that they somehow wanted to teach him a lesson. Try to show him what the path to love was all about.  
  
He thought back to that fateful night, standing before the court. "The thing is my dear," his mother said, "if your father had ever tried to pull a stunt like you have just pulled on that poor child then I would have married Ethorel instead." A few raised eyebrows appeared around the bench, especially from her husband and Ethorel himself.  
  
"Mother, I really don't see what harm I did?"  
  
"That is the problem then Jareth isn't it. No harm done to you or your pride but what of Sarah. Relationships are built on trust, even in this realm, and you showed Sarah that you were never to be trusted. How could she give herself to you willingly knowing that you had lied to her, no woman in her right mind would. Love is a partnership, love is about giving unreservedly, love is not just an emotion that can be played with and manipulated to suit the recipient especially when that recipient has no intention of giving anything back."  
  
"Oh, but I did mother!" Jareth said adamantly.  
  
"I'm not talking about sex and lust." More eyebrows were raised, including those belonging to Jareth.  
  
"Nor am I."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes, really."  
  
"Well from where I'm standing it doesn't look like you have learned much about matters of the heart, especially considering your many other conquests. I blame myself, if only your father had allowed me to guide you further then maybe you would not have made this dreadful mistake with her."  
  
"You make it sound like you didn't mind the fact she was human."  
  
It was now Ethorel, head of the court, who spoke. "We didn't. Allowing for the fact that Sarah has been the only person, mortal or otherwise, to beat your Labyrinth. I know at the time we were not completely happy as a group with that fact. However, we did grow to realise that you loved this girl and although you may have given her, unknowingly, an easier ride it was obvious that your heart needed hers."  
  
"I don't understand. Are you saying you're now happy with the knowledge that she beat my Labyrinth and being a mortal, by all accounts? You hauled me over the coals for it when she did it, if I remember correctly. In fact, I am under the belief that you are likely to do that same thing again this time."  
  
"No, Jareth. Sarah is strong willed, smart and courageous, everything your future queen needs. We now believe that you two together would have such a union that would allow your kingdom to flourish and in return the whole underground. But what you did was to try and trap her, even if your resulting intentions were good. There is no question that you love her.  
  
"I have seen a man in love before and he claimed his bride from under my feet," he looked across to Jareth's mother and father, smiling, "but then I truly wasn't worthy of her. You need to realise, Jareth, just because you love her and she loves you, you cannot assume there will automatically be a match. Sarah, I believe, would have given her life for you but what would you have done for her in return?"  
  
For possibly the first time in Jareth's life he didn't know what to say. He searched the room for some kind of friendly face in order that he may get some backing, but there was none. Not even his parents. Stricken he bowed his head, tears welled at the corners of his eyes, he was truly sorry for what he had done, he had just wanted his Sarah. His Sarah, he would never have her now, the court would see to that. Bringing his head back to centre he asked dolefully, "So, what of my punishment? The sooner you pass judgment on me the sooner I can try to forget."  
  
"That would make you happy wouldn't it, to forget her?" Ethorel deliberated. "Then part of your punishment will be that you will never forget the one you loved and lost. Now about the rest!" He sat watching the Goblin King astutely tapping his chin with his right index finger.  
  
"Excuse me, milord, but could a servant have the chance to speak up for his King." A voice boomed from the back of the room. All eyes turned to the speaker and his band of acquaintances, as he continued.  
  
Amazement washed over Jareth's features as he took in the scene behind him. He could understand why Luther was there but not his companions, what were their names. Yes, they were Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Didymus and his steed, Ambrosias and he knew instinctively they were not there for him. They were there for Sarah. However they had arrived with Luther, did that mean that they were in fact there for him too. A quick look at the dwarf and Jareth knew that Hoggle certainly wasn't, but the others did seem genuinely concerned about the whole situation.  
  
"Luther, please speak freely. I'm sure you wish to make a fair point to the council." Ethorel encouraged.  
  
"Thank you. Milord, members of the council, King Alfredo and Queen Isabella, as I am sure you are aware my lord, King Jareth, is undoubtedly in love with Sarah Williams, the mortal from Aboveground." Luther heard Hoggle sneer at the suggestion but took no heed.  
  
"Luther, we are fully aware of my son's intention toward the girl in question." King Alfredo said dismissively.  
  
"Aye, Sire. I was merely ascertaining the events as I see them!"  
  
"Then please continue." Ethorel interjected.  
  
"Well, Sarah, again as we all are fully aware, is deeply in love with my King. I did try to explain to my lord that his attempt at getting Sarah to come to him would probably end badly, and more than likely through no actual fault of his own."  
  
"How so? Surely if he tempted her here in order for him to 'test' her worthiness and offer himself as a prize then he should accept the consequence of his actions when she finds the truth out about it."  
  
"Of course, milord. I said as such myself. However, it was actually by a misinterpretation that Sarah felt victimised by the whole . 'game'. This misinterpretation led her to believe that every intention of King Jareth's was not honourable in the least, even his declaration of love to her."  
  
"A declaration, my lad."  
  
"Yes, father. I sent Sarah a sentiment crystal."  
  
All heads at the table turned to look at their neighbours in surprise. Luther was quite clearly shocked, he had obviously become aware that Jareth had sent Sarah a crystal, as she had told him as much, but he had had no reason to believe it was that special.  
  
A hush fell over the room as everyone tried to get to grips with this latest information and all eyes turned on Hoggle when the only sound to be heard came from his throat as he gulped, the realisation of what Jareth had proclaimed to Sarah also making him twist his skullcap in his hands.  
  
"Have you ever sent one of these before, Jareth?"  
  
"No, mother."  
  
"Never?"  
  
"No . never!" Queen Isabella saw the certainty in her son's face as he spoke his words.  
  
Ethorel now decided that action needed to be taken to reunite Jareth and Sarah. "Luther, what happened to the girl?"  
  
"She was sent home, I know not by whom!" Luther answered.  
  
"Meaning?"  
  
"Sire, if you ask where Sarah went, then I think it safe to assume that it was not yourself or another member of the council that granted her wish. Therefore, I am at a loss as to who would have . granted her wish that is!"  
  
"What was her wish, exactly?"  
  
"I think her exact words were 'I wish to god that I had never read that book, that I had never wished Toby away, and most especially, I wish I had never met you at all' or words to that effect."  
  
"Hm, then I don't think there is anything for it. Jareth you are going to have to reside Aboveground."  
  
"Is that it? I mean no term in an oubliette or minor suspension of power for a while!"  
  
"Jareth, that is not merely it. You will have to reside Aboveground as a human, you will live like a human, you will eat like a human, you will not be able to use magic as you will be stripped of it, you will not be able to change into owl form when you feel like it, and you will have the capability of dying, as with any other humans. You will live in a small apartment, with little money and have to earn a living in a humble position. And on top of all that, you will have to find this Sarah Williams, declare yourself to her and tell her everything of what is down here in the Underground. Remember, you will have no magic to help you, nothing; but you must tell her about her initial conquest, of her friends and of your second meeting, which incidentally, you have not had as Sarah seems to have gone back to the exact time she left. But all the same, she must know every detail. If she can still love you after that then you will be free to return to your Kingdom if you so wish, and with her if she so wishes. Also this must be done in one Aboveground year, which is not long at all, especially with everything else you will have to do. If at the end of the term you have either not found her or you have found her but she does not want to know you, you will return here and you 'will' never forget her. Do I make myself clear?"  
  
"As crystal, milord."  
  
"Good, does anyone else wish to say anything?" Ethorel motioned for anyone around the table to speak. Everyone shook their heads, including Jareth's parents. In fact, they seemed to be the happiest Fae in the entire room.  
  
"I have a question."  
  
"Yes, Jareth?"  
  
"Who will be looking after my kingdom in my absence?"  
  
"Luther, of course. With a little help from your mother and myself. We shall be keeping an eye on him. Is that to your liking, son."  
  
"Thank you. I am sure my kingdom will be in good hands if maybe a little less formidable than my own but I am happy with that decision. Luther, I am sure you will be worthy of your new role."  
  
"Now Jareth, an Aboveground ally of ours has such an apartment for you, it is meagre and sparsely decorated but we will allow you to take one item from your castle with you, something that would not look too out of place in a small room."  
  
He thought for a few moments, he could take his throne not that there would be much use for it Aboveground, or maybe a portrait of his mother and father but they had hardly helped in this situation and he knew their faces without needing a reminder. His bed would be perfect, it would at least allow him to sleep comfortably, and it was amazing what he could do after having a good nights rest. However, his bed would be too big in a small room although Sarah's wouldn't, or rather the bed he had commissioned especially for her. It would give him great comfort as it was an exact copy of his own with the exceptions of size and the intricately carved figures, which played out Sarah's first attempt at the Labyrinth, from the moment Toby was taken to the end when she fell Aboveground and back home. "I wish to take the bed that is situated in the blue room, please."  
  
"Very well. Jareth whilst Aboveground you will assume the identity of Jareth Reynolds, Reynolds in Olde English means sincere or pure love so I am sure you understand why we chose that name for you. A bank account will be set up for you in that name; a bank allows you to access your money whilst it keeps hold of it securely for you. You will also have to memorise a social security number so that you can be paid by the agency that employs you. You will work as a teacher and we feel that you would do best in the fields of English Literature and Latin, so please try to make them interesting subjects, you may actually enjoy it anyway and make a good impression on your students, with any hope. I think that is all you need to know, if you have any further questions then Robert, the gentleman who owns the building your apartment is in, should be able to help you. Are you ready to leave?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Then you are gone, Robert will meet you in your rooms. Goodbye Jareth, Good luck!"  
  
Ethorel held out his hand in front of him and formed the most beautiful lilac coloured sphere in his upturned palm. "Begone Jareth," he said as he threw the crystal at the awaiting individual. As soon as the crystal struck Jareth's chest he was floating through the distance between both worlds. He had done this before, many times, but never with the knowledge that he wouldn't be coming back when he wanted to, and not really knowing how long it would be before he could come back. He either had to find Sarah and wait for her to fall in love with him again, tell her their story about what had actually happened between them over the years and hope and pray that she would still accept him after all that, or wait a year and then have to live with her memory for all of eternity. Either way he knew he was in for a long ride.  
  
Then to have had the chance meeting with her that evening. He had expected a meeting between them to have taken a little while to arrange, but this had only happened in four days. He had known that his apartment was close to where Sarah lived, Robert had mentioned her shop saying that he had bought a couple of things from her for Jareth's rooms, 'to make him feel more at home' and that he and Sarah had got talking. Once Sarah had given Robert information concerning her mother, her childhood and her sibling, Robert had known that this was the Sarah that Jareth was being sent Aboveground to find and had informed of everything. Jareth would have to tread carefully though; she hadn't seemed her usual self when he had met her earlier on.  
  
Jareth had spotted Sarah as soon as he had alighted the taxi that had brought him to the pub. He had been unaware that she would be there this evening although he knew Gary and Sarah were friends. They had after all split up only a few days before and because of him, but Jareth was surprised to see her. He hung back slightly waiting for the raven-haired beauty to disappear inside the pub, he didn't want to meet her to quickly and fumble over his words.  
  
After what seemed like half an hour, but was in fact only a few minutes, Jareth made his way into the front vestibule of 'The Black Horse'. He had stopped abruptly for Sarah was there in front of him and blocking the entrance into the pub, his heart rushed to his throat as he watched her quiver, she was obviously nervous about something but what? Not him, surely. After all, she didn't even know him, did she?  
  
"Could I possibly help you with that," he asked over her left shoulder.  
  
"No, I'm okay. I don't really like walking into places like this when I'm on my own." Sarah had answered. He was slightly shocked that she hadn't turned around to speak to him but then she was obviously overwhelmed with something.  
  
"Are you on a first date or something, you do seem a little tense!" He had remarked, hoping that she wouldn't take offence and that she wasn't on a first date.  
  
"No, I'm meeting some friends. There it wasn't stuck after all!" Sarah had then managed to open the door but Jareth had noticed that her hand was shaking profusely like some kind of demented nodding dog.  
  
"No, well thanks for opening the door for me." He had returned, slightly amused at Sarah's behaviour but only because he wasn't sure why his confident Sarah should act in such a way. He walked passed her and into the lounge, his head becoming slightly heavy with her floral laced perfume as he breathed it in.  
  
He had noticed Gary immediately who acknowledged him back but he couldn't sit down just yet, Sarah should take her seat first. He found his way to the gents and stood over one of the basins. He was going to be a complete mess this evening if he didn't calm down. Opening the cold tap he splashed some of the water over his face and then returned to look at his reflection in the mirror. 'Calm down, calm down lad,' he chanted over and over in his head. It was now or never, sit with his new acquaintances or turn tail and run. It had to be the former, so he mopped his brow with a paper towel and went back into the lounge bar. He ordered himself a pint of lager and moved over to the table. He placed his pint on the table, his coat over the back of the chair and removed his gloves, he still wasn't quite used to not wearing them all the time but most humans would have thought that odd.  
  
He noticed Sarah nodding at the man on his immediate right and as she didn't seem to be in a conversation Jareth thought he would introduce himself, but first he was going to tease her a little. "So, not only do I have to offer my help to open a door, I also have to give up my seat for the same lady."  
  
The reaction he got he certainly didn't expect. For Sarah just sat and stared at him. No taunts back or any flash of anger just a stare and an open mouthed one at that. He thought he'd better say something to her. "Are you okay? I was only teasing."  
  
"Sarah, this is Jareth Reynolds," Gary had interrupted, but it had been welcome. Jareth certainly needed to get Sarah back to Planet Earth and this would be a good way of doing it.  
  
"Hmm," she had said, quickly relinquishing Jareth of her wonderful deep brown eyes for only a few moments before they were returned back to him.  
  
"I'm Jareth Reynolds," he said offering Sarah his hand. "And you are?"  
  
She had taken his hand in a vice like grip and shook it vigorously, but every nerve ending in his fingers had welcomed the touch of her skin. And from their touch he could tell that she was definitely attracted to him. The evening was getting better and better, for even though Sarah's attraction was in its infancy it was there all the same. "Sarah," she had simply said.  
  
"Sarah?" He asked, in the same manner that he had always asked her if he sought an answer from her.  
  
"Oh god, I'm sorry, you must think me so rude. Sarah . Sarah Williams. I own the antiques store in the village."  
  
They were still shaking hands when he had answered, "Well, its nice to meet you Sarah, I hope that I will have time to come and visit your shop, when I am not too busy."  
  
"Yes," she said, "I would like that." Jareth smiled at her and she grinned right back.  
  
Jareth had then spent the rest of the evening conversing with everyone around the table. Sarah had seemed unusually quiet but then she was still very nervous sitting there next to him. He thought that she was probably keeping herself in check so as not to embarrass herself further. And where she was concerned, he had picked up on every small detail this evening. The times that she had gone to the bar to order drinks he had felt her eyes boring into the back of his head. If an intimate detail was shared around the table she blushed slightly and wrung her hands together and when he had said goodbye to her, her face had gone bright red and she had waved at him like a thing possessed.  
  
He pulled the curtains closed shutting out his problems for that night and got himself ready for bed. Not that he had to do much. He showered, a wonderful invention he thought to himself, dried himself off and brushed his short hairstyle into shape. Draping the towel around his waist and securing it, he made his way to his bedroom. He walked around the bed to the small cabinet at its side and opened the drawer. He removed the pendant that lay there and, as he found a seat on the bed he laid it out into his left palm. He opened up the little door in the centre and found the one thing he was looking for to give him comfort, Sarah's eyes. Laying back on the bed he kept her close to him until sleep evaded him, whispering before he fell into slumber, "Goodnight my darling, I will miss you, until tomorrow." 


	12. Their first date for sure!

A/N: Thanks again for the wonderful reviews, and please keep 'em coming.  
  
Disclaimer: Sarah, Jareth and all other mainstream characters from the Labyrinth do not belong to me.  
  
Synopsis: Sarah & Jareth have to prove their love for one another. Sarah runs the gauntlet again, but what will Jareth do?  
  
Everything I do  
  
Chapter 11 - Their first date for sure!  
  
Sarah picked up the two new pieces of pottery that she had acquired the previous day. Now that they were clean and marked up with the price they could sit in the window ready for inspection by any prospective customers. Leaving them out of the way on top of the window ledge she reached into the display and moved a few items in order to find space for the pieces. The moustache mug would have to go near the front, as it was quite a small item, whilst the vase would do better nearer the back of the display, after all presentation was everything.  
  
She was just about finished when something or rather someone caught her eye. Rearranging her window displays never proved problematic for her as she would always ignore what was going on outside. Passers-by, waving neighbours and browsers would stop frequently outside of her window but whenever she was trying to create perfection she always blocked out everything else, preferring to get the job out of the way as quickly as possible. But today was different.  
  
Glancing upwards Sarah noticed a man on the other side of the green who seemed familiar. The tall slim build didn't give anything away, a trait inherent in all of the men she had ever gone out with. It was the silvery blond hair and the eyes, those unmistakable mismatched orbs that seemed to be looking into her very soul that gave him up.  
  
She straightened trying to hide herself behind the wooden frames and four inches of wall that edged between the window and door, feeling the temperature rise within her and the tingling of her cheeks as she felt the blood rush to them causing her to blush. It was Jareth; even being about twenty yards away from him she knew it to be him. But why was he here, now? It had been three weeks since she had last seen him. She had hoped that he would have come back to see her within that first week at least or on the following Saturday but when he had not appeared she had felt foolish in believing in the emotion she had felt.  
  
Sarah looked around the post and out through the window, what was he doing? She noticed him standing there as if rooted to the spot, turmoil washing over his features. Perhaps, she dared to hope, that the turmoil was over herself and if it was what should she do about it. Although she couldn't be entirely sure, he appeared to be in two minds about walking over to the shop and saying hello.  
  
'Well if Mohammed won't come to the mountain!' She thought and quickly made her way out of the shop, locking the front door as she did, and ambled over to where he stood. It was easier to creep up on him now anyway as he had turned his back to her. She stopped about a foot, she thought, from him. Reaching out with her left arm she tapped him gently on the shoulder. "Are you on your first date or something? You seem a little nervous!" She teased, trying to sound calm and hoping that his reaction would be a good one to the repetition of those first words that he had used to speak to her at their first encounter.  
  
***  
  
Jareth stood at the edge of the grassy area that served as the village green for the small Cotswold hamlet that Sarah's cottage and shop were both situated in. It had taken him three weeks to get this far and a lot of coaxing from Gary. He could understand his own feeling of reluctance; he didn't want to push Sarah into anything too hastily. Gary, on the other hand, was becoming a bit of a pain. Every opportunity Gary had he was encouraging Jareth to do the exact thing he didn't want to do. However, he was there now and standing directly in front of Sarah's store.  
  
His mind kept reeling, and thoughts triggered panic several times. Thoughts such as, 'what am I doing here? She doesn't want me! I could just walk away, I have nearly a year.' But whatever he tried to not think or do he found he was rooted to the spot, continually watching for movement in or within the vicinity of where he knew Sarah would be.  
  
He let out a huge sigh and asked himself, "what the hell are you doing? Get on with it before its too late." But as daring as he usually was he couldn't bring himself to do it, 'maybe next week,' he thought.  
  
He turned on his heel; he didn't feel brave enough to face the rejection today. He would come back next week and take another step towards truly knowing her.  
  
Trying to force his body to move toward the taxi stand he realised for the second time in ten minutes that he was held fast again. And it was at that point that he felt the soft tap on his shoulder.  
  
"Are you on your first date or something? You seem a little nervous!" Came the teasing but nervous sounds of Sarah's voice from behind him. And despite his previous pessimism, he smiled.  
  
Thinking of something quickly he turned and greeted her, "I am, but this attack will stop if you will agree to join me on that first date!" A little forward maybe, but Jareth hoped that Sarah would take the question with good grace.  
  
Sarah's already wide smile widened further. "I'd like that!" She answered. Then realising that she still had a few things to do added, "but I have to just finish off in the shop before I close up for the afternoon."  
  
"You don't mind me browsing then while you finish?" Jareth asked, hoping for the right answer.  
  
"No, of course not, please come on in."  
  
Jareth quickly seized the opportunity to escort Sarah back to her shop and offered her his arm. She took it gladly and the pair made their way across the green.  
  
"This village is very pleasant!" Jareth remarked trying to make small talk.  
  
"Yes, it is." Sarah answered as she unlocked the door again and returned inside the room that served as her store. "But I have a theory."  
  
"And what's that?" Jareth asked perplexed as he made his way over to a cabinet that held some of the most extraordinary pieces of fantastical sculpture he had ever seen. Looking back at him were exact replicas of many of the faces that resided in his Labyrinth.  
  
"The smaller the place the more the gossip that is spoken." She looked over to him and sniggered.  
  
"I'll have to remember not to do or say anything then that will make everyone here want to gossip about us!" Jareth said turning back to the case, he read the sign 'Creatures from the Underground, original sculptures by Sarah Williams.' His eyebrows shot up, could this mean that she remembered. That was just too hard to imagine.  
  
Sarah meanwhile, had been busy sorting out the takings and leaving everything ready for her return on Monday. She had mulled over his earlier comment and thought that she really didn't mind if anyone did gossip about them, she could see a future with this one. She watched him steadily as she moved around the counter and leant against it. He was really fascinated by her sculptures, she could tell and noticed his reflected reaction to her sign. "Do you like them?" She ventured.  
  
"Yes! Very much," Jareth began, "where did you get your inspiration for them?" He turned to face her waiting for her answer.  
  
She pointed to her head. "In here, call it the over active imagination of a teenage girl! The sign of a misspent youth, allegedly!"  
  
"I'm sure that's not true, I can't imagine you being the kind of person that ran wild!"  
  
"Maybe not in my youth, but certainly over the past few years I've been pretty 'wild'!" What was she saying? She had to put a stop to this conversation quickly; she didn't want to frighten him off although something told her that that wouldn't happen she didn't want to do it all the same. "Look, I've just gotta put this money into the night safe at the bank, after that we could go to Bourton if you like and get something to eat, I know this lovely little inn there were you can sit by the river and watch the ducks and swans."  
  
Jareth smiled, he had wanted to find out more about her antics but she had changed the subject. However, there would always be another time when she would probably share every detail with him especially if he played his cards right. "Okay, great, that sounds like a first date if ever I heard one!" He teased, watching Sarah as the ever-increasing smile on her face only served to heighten his appreciation of her. Her delighted eyes illuminated every detail of her face and every nook in the shop. Her reaction warmed him to the core and in turn, made him overjoyed to be in her presence.  
  
Eyes followed them as they made their way out of the shop and to the bank. Sarah placed the moneybag into the safe and turned to Jareth. "You know we have been watched all the way up the street, don't you?" She whispered.  
  
"Yes, do you think that they will be talking about us now?"  
  
"I don't think we've really done anything yet to spark any gossip!" Sarah confirmed. Vicious rumours had circulated about her and Gary recently and she didn't really want to fuel any further cruel misgivings but something told her that Jareth had other ideas.  
  
Taking her hand in his, Jareth stopped and turned to face her. "Do you think we should give them something to talk about?"  
  
She shook her head slightly, she didn't want anyone to think ill of her but she knew that was what everybody did think. Her continuous antics with new men had raised more than a few eyebrows in the village over the years and today was no exception. "Jareth, I really don't think today would be a good day, there is something I need to tell you about me!"  
  
"What? Nothing could be so terrible that I wouldn't want to be with you."  
  
Sarah's eyes shot to his, an admission as great as this from someone she hardly knew. "Jareth, you don't know me!"  
  
Jareth realised what he had said, he had to rectify it immediately "Sarah, I know I don't know you very well, but I want to. Ever since our first meeting I have wanted to be around you, find out more about you and I know it has taken me three weeks to meet up with you again but I'm happy with what has happened so far today. I'm hoping that by the end of it that you and I will be great friends and that maybe if you are free tomorrow then you will want to spend the day with me."  
  
"I'd like that very much," she smiled, "but we still have the rest of the afternoon and I really am getting quite hungry. Plus you need to tell me why it took you three weeks to turn up, I was almost giving up the will to live," she feigned death as they walked onwards and Sarah gracelessly tripped up the kerb.  
  
Jareth had to act quickly and caught her in his arms steadying her as she held onto him for dear life. He brought her up to stand in front of him, pushed the curtain of hair out and away from hers eyes and let out a short laugh. "Now that will give them all something to talk about!" He remarked.  
  
***  
  
"So why did it take you three weeks to turn up?" Sarah asked. The pair were sat outside the pub that Sarah had invited Jareth too earlier on, their respective meals had just turned up and she thought she should seize the opportunity. He couldn't run off anywhere now could he?  
  
"Honestly?" Jareth asked.  
  
"If we are to have a relationship, Jareth, then honesty is always the best policy." She mocked.  
  
"Well, honestly," making a point of the word, "I was frightened that I would scare you off." He finished, absently pushing a piece of potato around in the gravy on his plate.  
  
"Why?" She asked searching his face for an answer and receiving none.  
  
His eyes found hers, staring at him again. He reached out with his left hand to cover Sarah's right as it lay on top of the table. "Sarah, there were a number of reasons. Firstly, I wasn't quite sure of your reaction towards me on our first meeting. Gary had to assure me that what you felt was what I had initially thought and not indifference. Then there is the fact that I am considerably older than you, I know these days that that is not necessarily seen as a big problem but there are going to be times when we don't quite see eye to eye and I'd rather the age thing be put to bed and out of the way almost immediately."  
  
"How old are you?"  
  
"I'm . I'm ." what was he going to say, he had no idea how old he looked in human terms.  
  
"Come on, don't be shy. About 40, 45 maybe?" Sarah guessed.  
  
"I'm 43, considering you can only be about 25 or so." He said for good measure knowing full well that she was indeed in her thirtieth year.  
  
"I'm 30," she corrected, "13 years isn't so bad, there are couples with larger age differences than that and they seem to make them work."  
  
"You consider us to be a couple?" Jareth had to ask, relatively in Sarah's world, he had only known her a short while but was she thinking like they were already an item?  
  
"Don't you? I mean I know it sounds crazy that you and I have only just met and this is our first date, so to speak, but it's like I've known you all my life almost."  
  
"Yes," he agreed, "it is like we are soul mates, destined for one another. But Sarah, I don't want us to rush into anything that we're not sure of."  
  
"I agree." She answered.  
  
They spent the rest of the day talking about their likes and dislikes, getting to know the other. Jareth found out that Sarah preferred dogs to cats because of their loyalty. That her favourite colour was blue and that she was named after her great-grandmother. Sarah found out that Jareth had been a loner most of his life, loved to read and listen to music played on a pianoforte. She had laughed at his expression.  
  
"What?" He had asked, stopping abruptly and pulling her to him as they had been walking along the river pathway.  
  
"Nothing," she had answered playfully.  
  
"Sarah, please tell me what is so funny!" His seriousness made her laugh even more.  
  
"How old are you again, are you sure your not older?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"'Cause no-one calls it a pianoforte anymore!"  
  
"Oh," he laughed too. They had continued on their walk, hand in hand and snickering every time one or other thought about what Jareth had said.  
  
The evening passed much the same as the afternoon had done. They found a small, un-crowded inn on the way back to Jareth's apartment and spent much time talking and teasing each other, sharing each others meal and finding more out about the other as the minutes passed on.  
  
The bell sounded as the landlord called "time at the bar". However, both Sarah and Jareth ignored this as they continued with their conversation, disregarding any attempts by the staff to evict them from the bar. Once they realised they had outstayed their welcome they made their way out of the pub and over to Sarah's car.  
  
Both parties got into the car and Sarah turned the ignition in order to begin their journey to Jareth's place. He had given her the address earlier on and after reminding herself of it, started down the road toward the location.  
  
The journey passed by in silence neither wishing that the night would end but knowing that in just a few moments it would. Sarah pulled the car up to the kerb, engaged the handbrake and switched off the engine. She looked over to Jareth but he sat looking out of the front windscreen trying to think of something to say.  
  
She reached over and took his right hand in both of hers, never allowing her eyes to stop searching Jareth's profile. Bringing his head around to look at her full on he smiled at her, as she did him. He leant in toward her, his left hand reaching up to cup her face gently. Her eyes closed at the touch of his silky smooth skin against her cheek, dragging in a breath as he began to stroke her own skin with his thumb.  
  
Jareth watched in awe, as he felt his own movements serve to increase Sarah's heightening senses. He had only wanted to touch her; he had never expected her to react in the way that she was. He would kiss her and go, that would be enough for tonight. To use the situation to make love to her tonight would not be right. They had both agreed to go slowly after all, there were always other nights, there was always forever. Jareth lent in closer and lightly touched her lips with his.  
  
Sarah moaned at the welcome pleasure of them and again when they were selfishly pulled away again. Her eyes fluttered open searching his face for an answer to her question, but she found no response. She decided to ask, "Why?"  
  
"Why what?" Jareth asked, smiling as he continued to stroke her cheek.  
  
"Why did you pull away?"  
  
"We're supposed to going slowly aren't we? Not rushing into anything, getting ourselves into something that we may later regret."  
  
"I'll never regret anything I do with you, Jareth," Sarah said, a blush hinting at the place he still smoothed. "But you're right, we shouldn't rush, a lasting relationship isn't built on lust alone. If you asked me to stay tonight Jareth I would, but I would be afraid that it was nothing more than another fling, and I don't want that with you."  
  
"And as much as I would like to make love to you right now, neither of us are ready for that."  
  
"So, you're saying you would make love to me right now, in my car?" She joked.  
  
"Wherever you like," passion flamed his eyes, "In your car, down by the river, in my bedchamber." Sarah laughed at him again. "What?"  
  
"Bedchamber?" Sarah asked totally bemused.  
  
"What do you call it?" He asked, a defeated look washing over his features but quickly turning back to his smiling self again.  
  
"Just a bedroom . nothing more." She smirked.  
  
Jareth drew back slightly as a shiver struck down his spine, she had used the words he had spoken to her once before and in the same manner, 'it's a crystal . nothing more!'  
  
Sarah pulled back slightly confused by his countenance. "Are you alright?"  
  
"Yes, I'm fine!" He remarked a bit too quickly. Turning back to look into her eyes he added, "I'm fine, really." She smiled once again and he lent over and nipped the cheek he had been stroking. "Until tomorrow?" He asked.  
  
"Until tomorrow!" She answered, "I'll pick you up about 10."  
  
He nodded his approval and got out of the car. He stood at the kerbside waiting for Sarah to move her car back into the road and waving as he watched the vehicle disappearing around the corner. Making his way to his door he smiled, thinking back over the day. He was glad that he had made that trip over to Sarah's village and thrilled that she had taken the initiative to say hello. He dreaded to think what he would have done if she had not come over. But that was by the by now, they had had a wonderful day together and he knew that it was going to get better over the next 24 hours. He knew they were going to become more involved over the next 24 hours and he couldn't wait.  
  
He only hoped he could sleep a bit before she returned, excitement and anticipation were beginning to take over his emotions and he felt his adrenalin kick in. After all, he didn't want to fall asleep on her tomorrow, chance would be a fine thing anyway, and miss any time that they should be having together. 


	13. Getting to know Jareth

Disclaimer: Sarah, Jareth and all other mainstream characters from the Labyrinth do not belong to me.  
  
Synopsis: Sarah & Jareth have to prove their love for one another. Sarah runs the gauntlet again, but what will Jareth do?  
  
Everything I do  
  
Chapter 12 - Getting to know Jareth  
  
At precisely 10 am Sarah knocked on the front door to where Jareth lived. After waiting a few moments and getting no reply she tried again but still there was no answer. She stepped back a few paces to look at the upstairs windows, all of the curtains were tied back, she knew he was up but it didn't seem that he was actually in.  
  
"Ah, Miss Williams?" The voice of and aged man croaked from the now open door.  
  
"Oh I'm sorry, I'm looking for Mr Reynolds, and I thought I had the right door."  
  
"You do, Jareth lives upstairs, and this is the only door. He asked me to let you in but this ancient body of mine won't let me walk too quickly."  
  
"Oh, thanks!" She walked into the hallway and noticed that the only things the area housed was a set of stairs and two doors, one on the ground floor and one on the first.  
  
"Two complete separate units, you see. I believe he has left the door open for you to wait inside." The older man said as he motioned for her to walk up the staircase.  
  
She offered him her thanks again. "Don't I know you?" She asked awkwardly.  
  
"You sold me a few items from your shop about four or five weeks ago."  
  
"Ah, yes, Robert isn't it?"  
  
"I wondered if you would remember. I placed a few of those things in Jareth's rooms upstairs. He came here with very little, I thought they would cheer him up a bit."  
  
"You're a very kind landlord, by all accounts. Thank you."  
  
"It was my pleasure. I'm only too glad that the two of you have found one another."  
  
He walked back into his own flat and shut the door behind him, closing the door on their conversation. What on earth had he meant by his last comment, Sarah wondered as she treaded up the stairs. However, once she was in the confines of Jareth's rooms she had forgotten all about it.  
  
Being instinctively nosey, Sarah wandered through each of the rooms. She had noticed all of the pieces that Robert had bought from her and wondered if he had kept any for himself. She remembered every item she had ever sold and to whom, and she recalled all that she had sold to Robert, it truly seemed as if he had kept nothing for himself.  
  
The first door that she came to led to the bathroom, and she dismissed it as quickly. She felt sure that there was nothing in there that she had never encountered in a male orientated bathroom before and so didn't need to know what resided there until she ever needed to use the room.  
  
The next door led into a guest bedroom she guessed. The room was completely bare save for the nets, curtains and a couple of empty boxes. 'Jareth, you're not exactly inspiring me at the moment,' she thought, 'hope there's something in these other rooms.'  
  
The last door along that side of the corridor led to his bedroom. "Now this is more like it, his bedchamber," she laughed as she let herself into it. She gasped as she stepped into the room and took in what was before her. Never in her life had she seen such a beautiful piece of furniture than the one that adorned this particular room. The ornate and intricate carving that embellished the posts and sides of the bed before her were amazing, not to mention the fabulously silky sky blue tulle curtains that hung from each of the corners. Normally these kinds of bed were adorned with vines, honeycomb or even cherub etchings and always had heavy velvet curtains but in this case, the carvings seemed to be a depiction of a story, but she had no idea and couldn't tell what it was all about. She made a mental note to ask Jareth when the time was right. Images of when the time may be right popped into her head and she felt it was now time to leave this room before she took a sneaky feel of the navy satin pillows and sheets or decided to lie down on the inviting matching quilt.  
  
The next door took her into a newly fitted kitchen with a dining room area. She had sold the dining furniture to Robert and none of it looked out of place. She was pleased, it made her happy to think that these pieces were being looked after and were situated correctly. Another mental image popped into her head. She was in the kitchen making coffee, wearing a deep claret coloured robe and her hair was up in a loose, messy ponytail. The robe wasn't hers so she assumed it must have been Jareth's. Only too quickly she found her assumption to be correct as Jareth came into the room wearing nothing but a towel. He stood directly behind her, his arms about her waist, kissing and nuzzling the exposed areas of her neck and shoulders.  
  
Sarah shook her head trying to bring herself back to reality and quickly decided it was time to move on to the final room. Pushing open the last door she stepped into the living room. The central focal point of the room was the fireplace; there was no doubt about that. The cast iron surround embodied the look and feel of those found in Victorian houses whilst the hugely ornate mantel looked more Edwardian but neither looked out of place in their situation. On top of the mantel sat very little, Sarah noticed the clock being another of Robert's purchases, a pair of crystalline candlesticks and a couple of dried flower arrangements. A typical male dominated room she reminded herself.  
  
Seating herself in one of the wing back chairs she surveyed the room, where was the television and the radio, and where were his family. In all of the rooms she had inspected she realised that she had not seen one photograph, something else she would find out about and rectify as well. So what did he do for fun? Along the far wall sat rows upon rows of books. They mostly appeared to be very old with their tattered, hard-backed spines neatly standing to attention. She allowed her eyes to wander around the room. There was a small occasional table with a chessboard upon it and two seats arranged around it against the opposite wall. And a pile of papers close to a small bureau, appeared to be nothing more than his students coursework.  
  
Getting up form her seat she went to inspect the chess set. Now she knew why he had been so fascinated with her sculptures yesterday, he obviously had a passion for mystical beings as she did, which meant they had something else in common. Moving over to the books she looked through them. There were some more modern novels included in the library and it was apparent that he didn't like paperbacks. She noticed Terry Pratchett, and Tolkien residing between Shakespeare and Chaucer, mind you he was literature teacher she recalled, so it wasn't really surprising that he had all of these books. There were even some written in Latin. At least she knew that her surprise for later on would be well received.  
  
She noticed from her spot by the shelves that he must have been reading recently too for on the window seat sat an opened book, its red leather cover and gold writing seemingly dancing in the sunlight that was filtering through the window. She wanted to pick it up and read it but felt that that would have been rude. Instead she just inspected the cover, 'The Labyrinth' it read. "Mm, seems interesting," she said to herself, "have to borrow it someday."  
  
Looking out of the window she noticed that Jareth was walking up to the front door, he appeared to be very happy and was even whistling to himself. She heard him open the exterior door and make his way up the stairs. She waited with anticipation for him as she took a seat in the window.  
  
"Sarah?" He called, "Sarah I have something for you!"  
  
"You better come find me then, so that you can give me my present."  
  
He appeared at the door to the living room. "If you want to give me more of challenge in finding you next time my darling then you will have to learn to throw your voice. It was too easy."  
  
"Maybe I wanted to be found easily." She said as she walked across the room to greet him. She stopped suddenly watching his face turn into a wide mouthed grin. He was trying to stifle a laugh too. "Oh god, I just made myself sound like a whore, didn't I?" He nodded his head and began to laugh, the rich velvet tones wrapping around her and messing with her senses. Her voice was thick with desire when she next spoke, "And at the moment the way you're looking at me makes me want to act like one too."  
  
Jareth crossed the distance that lingered between them and wrapped his arms around her. Before he thought about what he was doing he found her lips with his and kissed her deeply. He didn't want the moment to end and was even more delighted when she responded to him by opening her mouth and her allowing him access to find her tongue. Passion burnt deeply within them both as each responded to the others desire. They continued stoking the fire, kissing and exploring each other's mouths, touching and smoothing each other's body for what seemed like hours until Jareth reluctantly pulled away. He watched her as she searched his face once again, as she had done the night before, but before she could ask why, he silenced her by saying, "maybe later, my love."  
  
She understood, everything was moving too quickly again. She needed a bit of space and took a step backward. "So what did you bring me?"  
  
"Oh, I forgot. Unless that was your intention all along?" He walked back out of the room and re-entered with the largest bunch of flowers she had ever seen or received before.  
  
Joy spread rapidly over Sarah's face and tears welled up in the corners, as she took the bunch from him. "Thank you." She said, the tears now finding their way down her cheeks.  
  
Concerned, Jareth moved over to her again and wiped away the steadily flowing liquid that fell from her eyes. "Have I offended you?" He had to ask her.  
  
"Not it the least, it's just I never get flowers. Only on my birthday or something, I've never gotten any from a boyfriend before."  
  
"And that makes you sad?"  
  
"No, believe it or not I'm ecstatically happy. Unless you stole them off a grave or something!"  
  
Now he was the one that appeared affronted. "I did not steal them," he assured her, "I picked every last one. That is why I took my time, I wanted them to be perfect for you."  
  
"Jareth, I was joking!" She exclaimed, sniffling. "I love them, they are perfect. There is nothing you could have given me that would have meant more."  
  
His face lightened again. "Thank you," he simply replied. "So what do you have planned?"  
  
"Well, I thought that we could maybe take a trip to Stratford, today, if you like. I got tickets for the theatre for later on, too. They are playing 'Much Ado About Nothing'."  
  
"That sounds great," he said as they walked toward the front door of the flat. "Are you going to take those with you?"  
  
"Oh god no," she'd forgotten about the flowers, not that she was sure how she could, considering how much they weighed. But being around Jareth made her forget most simple things. "I better put them in some water," she said as she made her way into the kitchen, filled the sink and covered the stems with the liquid.  
  
Jareth watched her, bewildered by Sarah's actions. "Can I ask you a question?" He called out after her.  
  
"Sure!"  
  
"How is it that you knew exactly which room to go into, which door to open?"  
  
As she strode back to his side, she looked down and shrugged slightly. "Lucky guess?"  
  
"Sarah?"  
  
"I peeped, sorry. I just had this overwhelming urge to find out about you so I systematically went into each of your rooms."  
  
His face was a picture, eyebrows raised with a look of 'who's been a naughty girl' written all over it. "So did you find anything out?"  
  
"Yes, I realised you loved reading and that is obviously why you love to teach the subject. You have a passion for mystical things and you have an eye for beautiful furniture."  
  
She'd seen the bed then. "Robert picked out most of the furniture, you know?"  
  
"Yes, he bought most of it from me! Except the bed, that is just exquisite. Where did you get it?"  
  
"I had it commissioned. You like it then?"  
  
"Yeah, very much. Is it as comfortable as it looks?"  
  
"You'll have to tell me when you try it! Did you notice anything else?"  
  
"The carving, what does it mean?"  
  
"When you are ready to know, Sarah, I will tell you!"  
  
"I'm not ready yet then?"  
  
"Not just yet, no! Patience my love, you will know soon enough. Now do you think we ought to get going or should we spend the day here after all."  
  
"If we stay here all day, will I then be ready to know the story behind the carving?"  
  
"You don't give up easily do you?" He asked, watching as she shook her head. "Give our relationship a little time, a couple of months or so, I will then tell you, okay?"  
  
"Okay! We best be off then." And with that Sarah made her way out to the car with Jareth in tow. 


	14. Getting to know Sarah

Disclaimer: Sarah, Jareth and all other mainstream characters from the Labyrinth do not belong to me.  
  
Synopsis: Sarah & Jareth have to prove their love for one another. Sarah runs the gauntlet again, but what will Jareth do?  
  
Everything I do  
  
Chapter 13 - Getting to know Sarah  
  
Nine weeks had gone by since Jareth and Sarah had got together and during that time they had had tremendous fun. Their day in Stratford had proved to be agreeable for them both; they shared a keen interest in history and had enjoyed visiting Anne Hathaway's cottage and the Shakespeare museum before going to the theatre that night and watching the comedic performance of 'Much Ado About Nothing' by the Royal Shakespeare Company.  
  
They had mostly spent the weeks apart, mainly due to the fact that they both worked and Jareth had no transport. But at the weekend their time was their own. Jacob, Sarah's neighbour, had offered to watch the shop on a Saturday so that she had more time with Jareth. They had visited much of the Cotswolds, had a flutter on the horses when there had been a meet at Cheltenham, had spent a long, languid weekend at 'Centre Parcs' over the Easter break being pampered and enjoying the woodland walks; and another in Bath courtesy of an antiques friend of Sarah's over the Whitsun holiday seeing the sights and spending lots of quality time together.  
  
It was now the school holidays and Jareth was at a loose end. He knew that if he went over to see Sarah too soon she wouldn't be too pleased, this was ultimately one of her busiest times of the year and although Jacob helped out where he could, Sarah insisted that he was doing too much for her without any recompense.  
  
But he couldn't wait any longer, by the time he had walked into his local village to get a taxi to Sarah's he would be about on time for her. And if she wasn't quite ready he could always make himself useful by starting the dinner or something.  
  
Finding his shoes, he slipped them on and looked out of the window deciding if he needed a coat. Although it was now July, there was still the chance of a sudden downpour. This was England after all. The sky seemed pretty clear so he headed out without it.  
  
Twenty minutes later he was in a taxi and on his way to Sarah's. She had tried to get him to learn how to drive but he had dismissed it out of hand saying that if god had meant him to drive he wouldn't have given him legs, and if he had his way Sarah wouldn't live fifteen miles away and cars would not have been deemed necessary, but as it was he didn't mind. If she lived any closer he would have been sorely tempted to spend every waking hour with her, in fact, every hour with her, waking or not.  
  
Another twenty minutes and he was stood outside of her shop wondering what she would be wearing today. She would definitely be wearing jeans, it still wasn't quite warm enough for her to brave the elements and wear a skirt or a dress, although Jareth always hoped that that was the day when she would. He looked forward to the time when she would wear something a little more feminine.  
  
On the one and only occasion he had so far seen her in a dress it had been when they had been invited to a friend's wedding. He had been anticipating her arrival all day and had been pleasantly surprised when he had opened the door to her. She had been staggeringly beautiful standing before him in a cool pink cross over dress with capped sleeves. The dress accentuated her curves and the slightly bias cut skirt fluted outwards at her knee. Her hair was piled on top of her head; the ends curling slightly and the layers at the side had been pinned up with jewel-encased clips. She had worn a touch of eye shadow and blusher for the occasion and she had finished off with jewellery that matched the hairpins. He had gasped and lost his breath from his first glimpse of her. She had asked if he was okay, all concern, but then this was a man in love with the most beautiful and elegant woman he had ever met. He made a comment that she should wear dresses more often and that her hair suited her away from her face. She had replied, "The next time you see me in a dress and my hair immaculate is the day you make an honest woman of me".  
  
Jareth collected his thoughts, if he continued in that vein he was likely to pick Sarah up and throw her over his shoulder, carry her to the back of the shop and make love to her, regardless of whether she had any customers or not. Placing his hand on the handle he pushed it down and opened the door, stooping as he had to whenever he walked in. He immediately found her eyes with his and watched as her face blossomed, she was glad to see him.  
  
There were four or five customers in the small store as Jareth found his way over to her, excusing himself as he moved across the room, always graceful and gracious. "Hi," he eventually got to say as he lent in and quickly gave Sarah a peck on the cheek. The area he had kissed blushing under his touch.  
  
"I think I'm going to be here forever," she whispered. "Why don't you go over to my place and make yourself comfy?"  
  
"Can I do anything? Start dinner or something?"  
  
"If you can find anything!" She smirked, knowing full well that her cupboards were probably as bare as Old Mother Hubbard's.  
  
"I'll order us a takeaway then, for about an hour or so?"  
  
"Yes, I should be home by then." She handed him her house keys.  
  
"I'll see you then." He replied and planted another kiss on her, this time on the lips.  
  
"Mm, did you have to stop?" She asked passion welling in her depths.  
  
"Yes, unless you want me to take you here and now and lose the customers you still have in the shop!"  
  
"Okay, you win this time but you may not be so lucky later on!" She exclaimed to his retreating back. Jareth stood at the open doorway turning to face her. "Promises, promises," he answered as he closed the door behind him with a small wave.  
  
Walking the short distance to her home, Jareth wondered what he was going to do when he got there. He had been to the house a couple of times; Sarah having the transport usually came to him. He often wondered if he had an opportunity such as this would he do the same to her as she had him. On their second date she had systematically worked her way through all of the rooms in his flat trying to decipher the man she was falling rapidly in love with. He, on the other hand, knew Sarah, had watched her grow up from the 15 year old awkward teenager to the woman she was today, although not remembering each of the encounters she had had with him in his Labyrinth she still was pretty much the same person. So what should he do?  
  
Walking through the front door of the cottage he went to the kitchen hoping to find some inspiration there but not finding much. He picked up the handset of the phone and phoned the local Chinese takeaway. He had built up quite an appetite for it after Sarah's introduction of it to him, and he was now quite a pro. The meal was to be delivered in 45 minutes so he had a little time to set the table in the dining area of Sarah's living room.  
  
He walked out into the back garden after finding the secateurs Sarah used for pruning her shrubs and borders, and snipped a couple of stems off some of the rose bushes she had growing there. They would go nicely in the small vase he had bought her when they had been in Bath. He set the table, putting on a tablecloth and napkins as well as the cutlery, the vase and its buds taking pride of place. He also acquired a candlestick from one of the shelves by the front window and set that on the table too.  
  
While he was waiting for the food to show up, he stole a few minutes in the office knowing exactly what he would find there. Surprisingly, she had never insisted that he stay out of the room like he had known she had with everyone else. Perhaps she thought that he couldn't do or say anything untoward when he saw his picture up on the wall. All of her other suitors would have become angry or jealous but he couldn't, could he? After all he was the subject of all of them. He sat on the couch as he had seen her do so many times before when he had been in owl form.  
  
Now there was a thought. Had he really missed his magic? He didn't think he had in all honesty and he had had Sarah to thank for all of it. He hadn't thought that his lack of magic would debilitate him whilst he had been here on earth and in fact he had proved himself right. The only time he had ever thought he wanted it was after his first encounter with Sarah, that night he had wanted to glide freely over the hills and woodlands that stretched out around his residence. But since then, he had never given it another thought.  
  
He looked up, his mismatched eyes searching the drawings in front of him. He became lost in their apparent love, mesmerised that Sarah could truly capture his soul and recreate that in all of the pictures she had ever etched.  
  
The knocker on the front door sounded bringing him out of his reverie. Going to it he found the usual deliveryman waiting for him. They exchanged money for food and he was soon alone again. He put the food in the oven, which was lit with a very small flame; it would keep the food warm until Sarah arrived home.  
  
He thought he best set the mood for the evening. He lit the candle that sat on the table and placed a disc in the CD player, another wonderful invention allowing anyone the freedom to listen to their favourite piece of music whenever they wanted to. They didn't need an orchestra it was all there on one disc. Granted, you had to have several different discs but they were inexpensive and gave excellent quality every time they were played. He selected one of Sarah's favourites, a compilation album of female singers, each singing an enchanting melodic ballad, setting it on repeat so that it would continue if they were in the middle of something.  
  
He made his way back into the office as he needed another hit, much like an alcoholic needing a drink or a smoker needing nicotine. He drew in a long shuddering breath realising how much he loved his sweet Sarah, how much she loved him and judging by the array in front of him, how much she had always loved him; even if it had been rooted into her deep subconscious. He heard the front door open and shut again behind his love as she entered her abode, but he didn't move didn't feel it necessary to. He would take her wrath if she wanted to bestow it, he would ask about the pictures and soon enough he would tell her his story, her story, their story.  
  
He noticed her standing in the doorway and looked over to her, his face a blank canvas, but he couldn't fathom what was going on behind Sarah's eyes. Her body was slumped forward, forlorn looking, almost as if she was in defeat but he couldn't understand why.  
  
"I suppose you want to know about them, right?"  
  
Jareth watched her as she moved over to the couch and took a seat at the end of it away from him. Tears were in her eyes as she started to speak. "Jareth, please understand the last thing I ever want to do is hurt you."  
  
"I know, Sarah, you won't. Just tell me everything . from the beginning."  
  
"It all started when I was about 15, I kept having these dreams about a far off place with mystical beings and a Goblin King. I didn't really know what was going on with me at the time but the dream reoccurred nearly every night of my teenage years. I started to write a journal about them, about events that happened and about this desire I had for I man I never knew. I didn't want to believe it was all fantasy although many people kept trying to tell me that it was just all in my imagination. I started to draw him, as you can see and I truly believed that one day I would meet him and he would be my soul mate.  
  
"I went to college and started dating. At first everything seemed normal, I seemed to attract and be attracted to normal guys, but one by one they fell by the wayside none of them ever living up to my expectations. I went through like . well that doesn't really matter," she said daring to look at Jareth to ascertain what his reaction to that last comment may be.  
  
"Did you sleep with any of them?" He asked, not knowing what it would do to him if he knew or not.  
  
"Yes, most of them. I lost my virginity at 17, to a man that resembled the King slightly. But each of my lovers took on a more striking resemblance to him than the one before had. At 21 I moved here, no one at home had his accent, his beautifully, velvety rich tone. I met Gary not long after I came here, he was always a good friend and he knew of my obsession. He started asking questions after I had got rid of the sixth boyfriend in as many months. I told him everything at the time but I never showed him the pictures, not until we first met anyway.  
  
"Eventually, Gary and I got together. We became lovers very quickly and if it hadn't been for the dreams that kept coming I probably still would have been with him when I met you. I had stopped dreaming about 'him' for a while but as soon as I started to get a bit closer to Gary they started again and became much more involved than any of the dreams I had had before. I saw him like I had never seen him before, I saw you. They took on a completely different angle too; they were mostly here in England, always on earth, never in the other place. They became increasingly passionate as well." She again ventured to see Jareth's reaction. He sat there thinking about what she was telling him, knowing full well that these dreams she had been having were matching his completely, but he didn't let on, it was too soon for that. He looked up to her encouraging her to go on.  
  
"That final picture, the one where you appear normal, was the last one I drew. I drew it the night I split up with Gary. I had been in his bed having the most erotic dream I had ever had involving us and I just couldn't lie there any longer, lying to him. I told him I had to go, he told me to find my prince. Well I think I finally have but its up to you now Jareth. Do you believe me?"  
  
"Wholeheartedly," he said, "I have always believed, as I think you have, that I was destined for one woman and ever since I started to visualise her I knew I would meet her one day. And then there you were, nervously deciding whether to go into the pub on that fateful night or turn and run home."  
  
"Fateful? It brought us together."  
  
"Yes it did, and that is exactly why it was fateful. I need you Sarah, if something happens and we are for some reason torn apart from one another I know I will never be able to draw another breath and not be able to remember you. You are my world."  
  
"Jareth, if something happened to us and we split up you would be able to forget me!"  
  
"Please believe me, I would never be able to forget you!" Tears shone at the corners of his eyes as he found her face with his eyes. "I love you Sarah Williams, with all my heart, I am yours forever."  
  
"Jareth, you're not angry with me for not telling you sooner?"  
  
He merely shook his head and moved up the seat toward her. Taking her head between his hands he looked deeply into her eyes laying his own open as a pathway to his soul. She could read all of the emotion and truth that was there in his heart; she knew that everything he had said to her was sincere.  
  
Finding each other they kissed, it was the sweetest kiss they had ever shared both hoping that the other wouldn't end it this time. Jareth knew instinctively that tonight would be special, not only would he make love to his Sarah for the first time but they would move mountains for each other. He pulled back rubbing her nose with his, like Eskimo's and he looked on as she smiled at him. "Wait here a minute," he whispered to her as he rushed off into the kitchen, he turned off the oven they weren't going to need the food at the moment, he made sure that all of the doors were locked and he took all of the candles he could find up to Sarah's bedroom, including the one that had been alight on top of the dining table. Tonight was going to be perfect if he had anything to do with it and he went about lighting all of the candles that he know had in the bedroom also making sure that nothing would easily catch on fire and burn. He decided against the music as well. After all, they would be making enough of their own sweet music and that was set to burn the house down too if he was correct about each of their own passions.  
  
He ran back down the stairs jumping down the last few, he had been away from her long enough already.  
  
"Where have you been?" She asked him walking over to him.  
  
"Just had a few things to sort out," he answered as she took him into her embrace and kissed him. He kissed her back with all his might, lips crashing against lips, tongues finding each other in the caverns of their mouths, their minds intermingling as each instinctively knew what the other was doing, each heart rapidly beating against the cage of its owner.  
  
Jareth felt Sarah's hands move over the silky fabric of his shirt and then down under the loose hem as it lay over the top of his pants. He moved away from her a little so that she was able to unbutton his shirt, 'she wouldn't be so lucky when it came to him removing her clothes' he thought as her slow movements heightened his sexual tension.  
  
He pulled out of their embrace and she moaned at the loss of his lips. "Sarah, if you continue like this then I will take you here and now. If you don't want to spoil the surprise I have for you upstairs then give me time to take you there."  
  
She nodded she wanted the surprise. He picked her up effortlessly carrying her up to her bedroom. One of her arms strayed around his neck but she used her other one to tease his nipples as they made their way up the stairs.  
  
"Do you realise how bad you are being, my love?" Jareth asked, a feral grin upon his lips. She may not have waited but he was enjoying it all the same.  
  
"I just want to know what you are going to do with me? Have I been very bad?"  
  
He watched her wickedly trying to decide what to do to her first. He threw her onto the bed and removed his unbuttoned shirt letting it pool at his feet as he watched her expression. She was in awe, he had made her room look more beautiful than it already was and to have him stand there in front of her dominating the whole picture was more than she could bear. She had to have a piece of him and it had to be now.  
  
Jareth moved in for the kill, he would make their first time as slow and passionate as he was able to, making sure that Sarah's enjoyment and happiness was paramount, and he was sure they would continue like that for most of the night. And tomorrow . well tomorrow he would tell her the truth. 


	15. The story

Disclaimer: Sarah, Jareth and all other mainstream characters from the Labyrinth do not belong to me.  
  
Synopsis: Sarah & Jareth have to prove their love for one another. Sarah runs the gauntlet again, but what will Jareth do?  
  
Everything I do  
  
Chapter 14 - The story  
  
The days first rays of light shot through the gaps in the drawn curtains streaming a shaft of white light over the two entwined figures. Jareth moved slightly welcoming the beams and looked down to the sleeping form still wrapped in his arms.  
  
He had been awake most of the night, catching maybe two hours of sleep at most. Every moment awake he had kept a vigil watching her body rise with the even breaths, smoothing her hair away from her face and holding her tightly in his embrace. He never wanted to ever let her go but something deep within him knew that he would have to.  
  
Sarah moved slightly relinquishing him of his duty, giving him the opportunity to move his position and stretch. He got out of bed and found his boxer shorts slipping them on, and all the while Sarah lay there sleeping with a jubilant smile still plastered over her face. He smiled too.  
  
He wandered silently over to the far wall noticing the pictures had fixed there. He immediately recognised them as photographs, Sarah had asked him on occasion why he never had any of his family, he had told her that he had no family. Maybe he should have told her the truth then but in all fairness he hadn't been quite sure if she would have taken it at all well. Skimming over the photos quickly, he saw a couple of a young boy and in each of them he was slightly older. He thought recognized him but at first couldn't place him and then he knew, it was Toby. "I knew you would grow up to be a handsome young man," he whispered to the picture.  
  
Taking a seat under the window he continued his watch, continually thinking about their hours of lovemaking and about what he had to do next. He knew that the next few days were going to be difficult but he couldn't see anyway for them to continue as a couple if Sarah didn't know the whole truth.  
  
And, he thought, it had nothing to do with his magic either. He had spent 12 weeks here as a human and apart from that one time, he had never thought about wanting or needing it, or using it. He had certainly learnt that lesson, you could never take anything for granted and he knew that he would never take his magic or his position for granted ever again. Or Sarah, in the short time he had really got to know the real woman, she had made him understand what it was to really need someone. To love someone on its own was not nearly enough, even Luther had tried to point that out to him. It was all about needing them like a drip, wanting to spend every moment with them, being there for the good and the bad, allowing them freedom to do as they pleased safe in the knowledge that no matter what they did they would return to you and most importantly trusting them.  
  
And last night had been exactly about that too. In those hours they had shown each other trust and eternal love, like neither had ever done before. Any time he had ever slept with a woman in the past he had known it had only been for lustful purposes, normally for his own end. But last night he had given himself to Sarah, his pleasure was her pleasure, and the love that evoked was so pure that it had made them both cry with happiness and ecstasy.  
  
So where was he going to go from here? The simplest solution for getting her to understand her first journey was by allowing her to read the book. Another item he had had commissioned for her and had been able to slip through the barriers between their two worlds, if she read that it would give her the knowledge she needed to know why she had been drawing him from an early age. But he didn't have that here it was at his place.  
  
He looked over to the clock, reading the illuminated figures to himself. 5.00 am, if he called a taxi he could be there and back in half an hour at this time in the morning. He dressed quickly, made his way down stairs and called the local taxi firm up and true to his assumption he was back in Sarah's house within the allotted time. He quickly undressed and slipped back into bed beside her, the small red leather bound book waiting patiently on the bedside table beside him. Embracing her once more he kissed the top of her head, "I love you, Sarah, more than any words could ever express, I just hope that it is within you to forgive me," he whispered before he too fell asleep.  
  
***  
  
Jareth awoke to the faint smell of freshly brewed coffee as it drifted through the house and ultimately to Sarah's bedroom. She had obviously decided to get up and allow him to sleep for a bit longer on his own. Either that or he had pushed her out unintentionally, he still wasn't quite used to smaller beds. He rolled onto his back staring at the ceiling for a moment trying to focus on the new day before stretching out all of the crinkles in his body and sitting up. Rubbing his hands through his hair he looked over to the bedside table on 'his' side of the bed and realised something was wrong. The book had disappeared.  
  
He never thought he could move so rapidly in his whole life, but there he was rushing out of bed finding his boxers and slipping them back on again before rushing down the stairs trying to find Sarah and his book.  
  
He scanned the living room she wasn't there, he tried the office and she wasn't in there either. Finally, he found her in the kitchen sitting up at the island counter in the centre of the room with her back towards him, sipping coffee, munching on a slice of toast and reading . his book.  
  
What was he going to do? After all, she wasn't supposed to be reading it just yet. He sneaked up behind her and pulled her into a hug, nuzzling on her neck as she began to giggle, at least that was a good start, she was still in a good mood. "What are you doing?" Jareth asked.  
  
"What does it look like?"  
  
"It looks like someone slipped out of bed when I don't believe I gave them permission too." His said, his voice heavy with desire.  
  
"Oh, so because we took our relationship to another level last night I now have to answer to you do I?" Sarah remarked, as she turned round on her stool. "Good morning, Jareth, have I told you how much I love you this morning!"  
  
"Good morning to you my love, and yes you just did. I love you, Sarah."  
  
"I hate to say it, but after last night there is no way I would ever doubt that. Coffee?"  
  
"Mm, thanks. What are you reading?" He sat on the stool beside the one Sarah had occupied.  
  
"Jareth, don't play games with me, you know exactly what it is considering it is your book," Sarah exclaimed as she prepared his coffee.  
  
"So if you know it is my book why are you reading it?"  
  
"I couldn't resist any longer. I'd seen it at your place so many times and I wanted to know what kept you interested in it. You always had it left open on some page or other, but when I saw it there this morning I . well I didn't think you'd mind. You don't do you?"  
  
"Well," he couldn't say he did mind after all, his intention had been for her to read it, he just imagined telling her about it first. "The thing is, my love."  
  
"What?" She asked handing him the mug of the steaming dark brown liquid.  
  
"How far have you got?"  
  
"Oh, only a few pages, Sarah is running home in the rain with the dog."  
  
His eyebrows rose to an all time high, had she just thought about what she had said. "That doesn't strike you as odd?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Repeat to me what you just said!"  
  
"What about Sarah running home in the rain?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"Sarah is running home in the rain with the dog!"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"I'm sorry Jareth . I'm not normally this stupid but I really don't have a clue what you are trying to get me say!"  
  
"I'm not trying to get you to say anything, I'm trying to get you to think about what you said. Sarah has been practising a play with her dog, right?"  
  
"Yes, a dog called Merlin."  
  
"Right, what was your dog called when you were growing up and what did he look like?"  
  
"Well he was an Old English Sheepdog called ."  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"Merlin," her eyes flashed with anger, "what the hell is this Jareth, some kind of joke?"  
  
"No, it's your story. In fact it's our story. Of the first time we met." He looked at her hoping to see some kind of emotion in her face but there was none. The old Sarah, the one that he had gone head to head with when she had found out why he had made her go through the Labyrinth for a second time, the one that had told him that she had wished she had never met him had now reared her head. In one swift moment he had lost all that he had accomplished, he had lost all that he had loved and he would never be allowed to forget. He got up from his seat and started to walk out of the kitchen, a man dejected.  
  
"Jareth, where are you going, don't you think we need to talk?" A glimmer of hope shot through his senses.  
  
He stopped and turned around to look at her. "Read it, finish it, and then come to me. There are probably some things in that book that may distress you and make you feel like you hate me, at the time the events occurred I thought you did too, but we both fell in love. That book is not one sided, it does not show me in any other light than the one it was intended. It is a completely true and fair view of everything that happened to us both. Once you have completed it and only then will we talk. Just remember whatever you decide to do, whether it be to love me or hate me, |will always love you and for a Fae that is for eternity." He turned around again intending to gather up his things so that he could go home.  
  
"Where are you going?" Sarah's voice cracked and he could hear her sobs as she waited for his answer.  
  
"I'll be at home when you are ready to talk." He said finally, not turning to her or looking back, he could here her continually crying and knew that if he had seen her he would not have been able to go but he had to leave, had to let her decide what to do. So, he merely retraced his steps to the bedroom, finished dressing and headed out of Sarah's house, hoping that it wouldn't be forever.  
  
***  
  
Yet again, Jareth couldn't sleep and no matter what he tried to do he just couldn't get his eyes to close and allow him the rest that he so badly needed.  
  
He picked up his wristwatch and examined the face, the hands pointing to make it 2.15 am. He replaced the watch on the cabinet and lay back on top of the covers, apart from anything else the heat wasn't helping him to get to sleep either. A sharp white light shot through the window and he heard the sound of a car engine being turned off. He jumped up from the bed and paced the short distance to the window, although he couldn't understand why he was trying to see who it was that had left their car at a strange angle outside of the building. He knew who it was; Sarah had come to him at last. He smiled to himself hoping that everything would be okay; at least Sarah's coming to him meant that she wanted to talk, right?  
  
He heard her banging on the outside door, as he slipped on his robe. He ran down the stairs just beating Robert to it as he reached for the lock and turned it to open the door to Sarah. He watched as she solemnly walked up the stairs and through his front door as he followed her in silence. Once they were both safe within the confine of his living room did she speak. "So this is our story you say." He nodded.  
  
Sarah continued, "you took my brother and I had to beat your labyrinth in order to get him back." He nodded again. She closed her eyes as fresh tears streamed down her face. She staggered back slightly and fell into the chair she instinctively knew was behind her. Opening her eyes again she watched waiting for Jareth to take the other one. "The thing is though Jareth, after reading your book twice I still come to the same conclusion."  
  
"You read it twice?" He asked, not quite believing he had heard her say exactly that.  
  
She nodded her acknowledgement. "Don't you want to know what my conclusion is?"  
  
"Yes, please tell me!"  
  
"You only did what I asked you to do. You took Toby away, you were formidable, you reordered time and you turned my world upside down. I was a stupid 15-year-old teenager who wanted a game, and you gave it to me. And even after I turned down your generous offer you still loved me."  
  
"You were never stupid, Sarah, you gave me a run for my money too you know. There were times when I misjudged you totally and allowed my heart to rule my head on more than one occasion."  
  
"I know," she started to smile; she got up from her seat and made her way out of the room. Jareth followed unsure of where she was off too but he didn't need to ask when he realised she had headed into his bedroom. She waited from him to cross the threshold before she continued. "This is our story too, isn't it," she said pointing to the carvings on the bed. He nodded again allowing her to continue. "Now I understand my earlier dreams, now I understand my journal, now I understand my pictures and sculptures. I thought it had all been in my imagination but I had really been there once, to the underground."  
  
"You've been there twice!"  
  
Sarah eyed him suspiciously, "sorry!"  
  
"I said you've been there twice! Once when you wished Toby away and once when you wished to never see me again." Jareth began wringing his hands together as he knew this would be the time to tell her the rest of the story.  
  
"What? There's more!"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"Is there another book I have to read, another side to this bed," she said moving around to the other side to look at the carvings that resided there. Finding that they were just a continuation of the others, she took a seat at the end of the bed not knowing what to do for the best.  
  
Jareth crossed the short distance and sat next to her taking her hands into his and found that she didn't pull away so he guessed he was on safe ground at that moment. "There is no other book and as you now know there are no more carvings. I can't even show you what happened in one of my crystals, my magic has been taken from me. I must simply explain it to you."  
  
"Is it bad, I mean worse than the first encounter."  
  
"Yes and I was the stupid one. I had an arrogant belief and acted on it. If I had been blessed with foresight, as many of my peers and friends had themselves, you and I wouldn't be here now."  
  
Sarah was weary with everything that she had been expected to take in and now there was more. "Jareth, do you have to tell me now. Can't we just have one more night together, knowing that it will be blissful before our worlds fall apart."  
  
"I can't Sarah, by Hades there is nothing I would like more than to show you exactly how I feel about you tonight but were would it leave us. When I tell you what I have to tell you, you may very well end up hating me then. There is no underlying tale of things I have done for you in the next part of the story as I only did the things I did for my own selfish needs, mistakenly believing that you would love me regardless. Sleep here tonight if you wish I will go and sleep in the other room." He got up from the bed but Sarah wouldn't let go of his hands.  
  
"Jareth?"  
  
His eyes shot to hers. "Yes?"  
  
"I will always love you no matter what!" She kissed each of his hands in turn and let go, finding his face once she had finished.  
  
Sullenly he turned from her not wishing for her to see him cry. He quickly removed himself from the room and went into his now dark living room. He sat in the armchair he had vacated earlier on letting all his emotions flood his mind and allowing silent tears to trickle down his face. In a few short hours he would have to tell Sarah the final part of their story and from that moment on he had no idea what would happen.  
  
***  
  
Sarah stood in the doorway to the living room wondering if Jareth was awake, asleep or dead. She had been there watching him for about five minutes and wasn't quite sure what to do.  
  
As if aware of her presence Jareth's tear stained face looked around the wing of the chair. He tried smiling but it didn't quite work, "Did you sleep well?" He finally asked, rubbing at the dried on salt covering his cheeks.  
  
"Yes, Thank you. That bed is very comfortable, despite everything I really feel refreshed."  
  
"Good, at least someone got some use out of it last night. Sarah we need to talk!"  
  
"Yes, we do." She made her way from the door and took the seat next to Jareth's. "I meant what I said last night, you know?"  
  
Jareth smiled a little, "Yes, I know, but you need to hear the rest of the story."  
  
"I don't want to know it!"  
  
"Sarah, you have to. I am bound to tell you, it is part of my punishment!"  
  
"Punishment?"  
  
He nodded, "yes, my punishment. Do you remember the day when you heard the song change on the radio?" Now it was her turn to nod. He continued, "in the original course of events I changed that song for you as a way of calling you to me. It worked, you wished to see the Goblin King and he arrived. I persuaded my friend Luther to take on the role, he was to tell you that I was trapped in one of my oubliette's, sent there by the Seelie Court as I was a danger to myself and my subjects by being in love with you, he also conjured up a crystal showing you exactly that for extra effect. You, in order to receive me as a prize, were asked to run the Labyrinth again as a way of testing your love for me. You gladly accepted.  
  
"Things started off well, you traversed through it like an old pro and I could hardly believe that you were getting through it so quickly. The first mistake I made was allowing my love to shine through the Labyrinth, it allowed you a fairly free passage, and my second mistake was to send you a crystal. I was supposed to be in an oubliette so how could I get a crystal to you, and you wasted no time in pointing that out to me, but my arrogance and conceitedness did not allow me to see what I was doing.  
  
"Your friend Hoggle overheard a conversation Luther and I had, he was very unsure of my intention toward you and ran off to find you and let you know the score, according to him. I made my third mistake by allowing Luther to keep a watch over you and your progress, asking him to tell me if anything untoward were to happen. He told me nothing of Hoggle's misinterpretation trying to deal with the situation by himself.  
  
"You dealt with things the way that you should have, it was commendable. I threw a Griffin into the mire and you took it with ease, you even managed to persuade him to fly you to the castle so that you could confront me. All your friends were there, Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Didymus and Ambrosias. Luther tried again to warn me that for me to love you and you to love me wouldn't be enough, there had to be trust and no lies. Humans apparently thrive on that, and if I hadn't had this punishment bestowed upon me I don't ever think I would have learnt that. For a Fae it is different, once an acknowledgement is made it can never be revoked especially when it has been acknowledged with a sentiment crystal. No one realised that that was what I had done until I was in front of the court and really everything was my own entire fault, I should have trusted Luther more. I don't know what ever made me believe that you would know my intention, after all you are not versed with the ways of the Fae, I just naturally assumed that you would instinctively know.  
  
"You believed, quite rightly, that I had deceived you and had taken advantage of the situation. I lost your trust because I believed that you just needed to be loved. I was wrong, I admit it and I am truly sorry. But when you wished that you had never met me that hurt me the deepest, I cannot imagine not having you in my life for one moment and when you vanished I thought my life was over, but I was wrong.  
  
"I was summoned before the court, which on this occasion had also included my parents. I was told off quite severely by them as well, but I now realise why. I asked that I be allowed to take my punishment quickly so that I could endeavour to get over your memory quickly. They responded by telling me that I would never be allowed to forget you having been so foolish with your love for me. They also sent me here to find you, they believe Sarah, that you and I could rule the Underground together very effectively, but I was told that I had a year to find you, hope that you would fall in love with me and when I had told you the whole story of our meetings still hope that you could find it in your heart to love me.  
  
"The thing is, I now realise why they sent me here. It was to teach me a lesson about humility, modesty, selflessness, loyalty, friendship, trust and above all true love and you were to be my teacher. When I first arrived I couldn't believe my luck to find that I was situated closely to you, now I know why, they wanted me to learn quickly. They took my magic so that I could do nothing to rearrange anything that was here and that I didn't like or couldn't be bothered with, I had to do everything for myself or with your help. And to you I am truly grateful."  
  
"So you lied to me and misused my trust because you thought I would fall at your knees if you just declared yourself to me?" Sarah asked.  
  
"Yes. I'm sorry."  
  
"But your not like that now!"  
  
"Because I had a good teacher."  
  
"Jareth you didn't learn it all from me." "Yes, I did. Even before our meeting at 'The Black Horse' I was learning from you."  
  
"There's still something I don't understand. I drew that last picture of you before we met, why was I having dreams of you and me in normal situations? And were you having the same dreams?"  
  
"As to why we are normal to Aboveground, I don't know, Sarah. However, when I first told Luther of my dreams he began to watch us both. He was able to ascertain that when you dreamt, I dreamt and that it appeared we both had the same dream."  
  
"Which means there is something else at work here, even if we are soul mates, Jareth, there is no possible way that we could be connected through our dreams. Do you truly know if you love me or could this just be some facet of your imagination or some kind of evil at work trying to get back at you, maybe? Have you ever done something that could only be acted upon be a vengeful act in order that you lose control of your Labyrinth?"  
  
"Sarah, what are you saying?"  
  
"Jareth, I don't know, I just don't know. I need some time to think about things, I'm sorry I have to go. I'll call you. Bye." With that she was gone, out of his apartment and probably out of his life forever and all he felt like doing was dying. 


	16. Sometimes the way forward is sometimes t...

A/n: I'm coming up to the end of my little Laby fic and felt it best to post these last chapters over a few weeks. Hope you like this one and please remember to review. Many thanks for everything everyone has already written, I shall return the compliment when | get around to reading any of your own stories. On with the tale ..  
  
Disclaimer: Sarah, Jareth and all other mainstream characters from the Labyrinth do not belong to me.  
  
Synopsis: Sarah & Jareth have to prove their love for one another. Sarah runs the gauntlet again, but what will Jareth do?  
  
Everything I do  
  
Chapter 15 - Sometimes the way forward is sometimes the way back  
  
Sarah had driven for hours not knowing where she was going but she didn't care. At the present moment she wanted to be away from everything, from Jareth, from her friends, from her memories and especially from her dreams. Nothing mattered more than for her to find any empty space where she could just sit for a while and have a clear head. She knew one thing, she had driven off in the general direction of Wales and she could now see the rolling hills and jutting, slate outcrops of the Cambrian Mountains in front of her.  
  
Suddenly through the clouded smokescreen of her mind that she was trying to cope with, she found a happy memory. Years earlier, just after she had taken over the antiques store, Gary and Sarah had taken a trip to Wales and stayed in a small holiday cottage near Llanidloes. Maybe if she went back there she could escape for a little while until she had to drag herself back to reality.  
  
Ringing the bell to the main cottage Sarah was met by the same friendly face that had greeted her on her last visit, and she recalled Sarah immediately. The grey haired woman was even able to offer the same cottage, which Sarah took gratefully. It was situated by the river and was fairly secluded from everyone and everything else, which suited her perfectly.  
  
She'd had the foresight to pick up some supplies on the way, not entirely sure of what she was going to do when she got wherever she decided to go. She unpacked them as best she could and then decided to build a fire in the living room grate as the rain had started to fall making everything seem colder than it actually was.  
  
Finally, after making herself a cup of tea, she found a comfy chair, took out her mobile phone and rang her neighbour. Jacob and Hattie were all too pleased to look after the shop for her, they told her to stay away for a couple of weeks if she wanted. They had assumed that Jareth, 'her nice young fellow', was with her and she wasn't about to tell them otherwise. Instead she thanked them for their courtesy and promised to take them back something special.  
  
She then decided to ring Gary, she hadn't spoken to him in three weeks anyway so this would give her the opportunity to catch up and hopefully invite him to the cottage so that she could talk. She punched the speed dial and in seconds it was ringing, 'come on Gary, pick up please!' Her mind screamed, 'I need you!' She shuddered, hadn't she said that before somewhere.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Gary, thank god. I thought you were dead or something!"  
  
"Sarah, is that you? Are you okay? You sound like you've been crying."  
  
"Yes, it's me and yes, I have been crying. Gary something awful has happened and I need to talk."  
  
"Sarah, I'm kind of with somebody, hang on a minute, let me go talk to her." She heard him put the phone down followed by the sound of his voice and that of some young woman. Within minutes he was back. "Hi, Sarah?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Good you're still there, look where are you I'll come to you!"  
  
"Do you remember that cottage we stayed in a couple of years ago near Llanidloes? I'm there!"  
  
"Yes I remember, Jesus, it must be bad for you to run halfway across the country. You gonna be okay for a couple of hours 'til I get there?"  
  
"Sure, but I think you better bring some chocolate, I think we may both need it."  
  
"So it's worse than I thought, if we're gonna need chocolate I better get quite a supply," Gary heard her chuckle. "That's better, keep thinking chocolate and hopefully you may feel a bit better by the time I get there."  
  
"Thanks Gary. I think I'm going to owe you big time this time!"  
  
"Yes you do, I had to tell Emma that I had to stay with my sister for a little while, for family reasons."  
  
"Sorry!"  
  
"It's okay, don't think I had much of a future with her anyway. Look I'll see you soon."  
  
"Yeah, bye."  
  
"Bye."  
  
So Sarah waited, and while she waited she thought, thought about the book and the bed that Jareth had had made to remember her journey through his Labyrinth, thought about her dreams and meeting Jareth, and thought about everything that Jareth had told her about her last time in the Labyrinth. But mostly she thought about the forlorn look that had plastered itself over Jareth's features as she had walked away from him that morning. It was unsettling for her to think of such things but probably as a result of the adrenaline rush she had had that day after she had left Jareth she felt relaxed letting her eyes droop and soon found slumber.  
  
However, it wasn't a peaceful slumber, the power that had instigated those dreams of hers and Jareth's started to work its magic again as images of Sarah's two visits to the Labyrinth were played over and over again in her mind.  
  
***  
  
Gary raced to the cottage as fast as his aged VW Beetle would allow. After packing a small overnight bag he had stopped at the local supermarket to load up with chocolate and decided to purchase a couple of more down to earth items as well, hoping Sarah would feel like eating something more suitable when he got to her. He had also stopped off at her place quickly in order to ascertain if she had taken anything with her, the sight of her over-sized, black leather holdall in its usual spot telling him that in fact she hadn't. He rummaged around finding things he felt she would possibly need and added some other items for good measure; it was always better to have too much stuff than take too little.  
  
He decided to stop by the kitchen to pick up a packet of herbal teas that Sarah could never normally do without in the mornings. As he began to retrace his steps back into the living room he noticed a small, red, leather bound book sitting on the counter enticing him to pick it up. He read the gold letters on the cover, 'The Labyrinth'. Nothing overly special about the title but somehow he felt it was important to events that had led up to Sarah's run to Wales. As he picked up he book it fell open in his generous palm to the inside back cover where an inscription had been written by a very fine hand.  
  
'My dearest Sarah, this book is an honest account of your first journey through my Labyrinth. I know that I appear as the ultimate rogue but you wanted that of me, and I had to give you what you desired most in your villain. As you now hold this book, I honestly believe that you have forgiven me my part in your play and love me as much as I love and adore you, my darling and in the years that come I dream that you will make me the happiest of men, either Fae or Human, by becoming my bride and mother of our children. I remain yours forever with all the love in my heart and soul, Jareth.'  
  
Gary stood looking at the page, reading it over again and again trying to decipher what was meant by some of the terminology used. Maybe if he read the book he would understand. He placed it into his pocket, he would ask Sarah about it later when he finally arrived at the cottage in the Welsh countryside. He couldn't imagine why she had ended up there but at least they would be able to talk without any interruptions.  
  
He managed to reach the cottage before the last golden rays of the sun disappeared behind the hills. He noticed that it had rained at some point during the day as there were still droplets on the back windscreen of Sarah's car. He opened the front door and saw Sarah curled up in one of the large armchairs trying to keep herself warm because of the ailing fire in the hearth. He piled his load behind the now shut door and went to pick her up. Their talk could wait until the morning. He effortlessly lifted her into his arms and walked up the stairs to the two bedrooms that resided above. He picked the first for ease and ever so gently laid her on the large wooden bed that occupied most of the room. He pulled out the covers and pulled them over her tucking her in as he went. Looking at her face he could have sworn that she had aged over the few weeks since he had seen her last, she looked so down trodden and unhappy, even in her sleep. He quickly kissed her forehead before moving back out of her room and back down the stairs.  
  
He re-stoked the fire and made himself something to eat and drink before settling himself into the chair that Sarah had occupied earlier. He searched his coat pockets for the little red book that he had found earlier on and was pleased when his fingers flashed over the leather. Pulling it out he opened the front cover and began to read.  
  
'The barn owl had noticed the girl, Sarah Williams, practising her lines again. He swooped down to land on one of the posts that stood lining the pathway anticipating the joy he would soon feel as he sat and watched her. He wondered how she never tired of reciting those words from that particular play, dressed in her princess costume, a wreath on top of her piled up hair and wandering around the park as if it was her stage and her dog, Merlin, the audience.'  
  
Gary looked up from the book. Was this book truly Sarah's story, he couldn't be sure at the opening lines of the passage he had read but he knew he was in for the long haul. He decided to get comfortable. He made up a flask of tea, pulled a blanket from the back of the sofa and sat back in the chair covering himself with the woollen throw and pouring out his first cup. He settled back again to read knowing that he wouldn't be able to put the book down until he had finished it.  
  
***  
  
Streams of sunshine flooded into Sarah's room as she stretched herself awake. It took her a few minutes to decide where she was as she took in the room around her. The oak bed and dresser, the long picture window that lead out onto a small balcony and the full-length mirror behind the door. Gary had obviously put her to bed fully clothed.  
  
She pulled herself out from under the covers discovering that her shoes were still on her feet too, 'trust Gary', she thought, smiling. She could tell that Gary was up and about when she walked out onto the landing as his shadow played against the staircase wall through the balustrades. She wandered down the stairs being met be a cool façade. She smiled hesitantly as she moved into the room, "What time is it?" She asked.  
  
"Time you told me what the hell is going on? Why you called me yesterday and got me to drag my arse halfway around England and Wales."  
  
"Gary, what's wrong, why are you so angry with me?" She shouted back trying to regain some of the lost ground.  
  
"Maybe this will give you a clue," he answered waving the red book in front of her face. "I sat up last night reading this, this story of what you supposedly did in the Underground. You told me that you had some pretty weird dreams when you were growing up but how can that be true, Sarah, is this some kind of delusion you are trying to keep everyone under. And what part does Jareth have in this fallacy. I take it that it is the same Jareth is it?"  
  
"Gary, sit down, please, that book . that believe me I would be glad to get rid of . is only part of the story. Everything that you read in there I believed to be a dream and until two nights ago, would have continued to believe so too.  
  
"On Friday, when I got home from work, I found Jareth in the office staring at his pictures. I told him everything, about the dreams, the journal, everything and he took it all on board as if it were all completely normal. And we finally made love that night too. Gary, I never imagined that one person could give themselves so completely to another, but Jareth did to me, it was so special that we both cried." She said, taking a seat on the sofa tearfully recalling the events of that evening.  
  
"The following morning, when I woke up he had hold of me and it was like he never wanted to let me go. I turned in his arms gently not wanting to wake him and when I looked at him he seemed so happy and at peace. I managed to get out of his hold and as I sat up in bed I noticed that damned book. I'd seen it at Jareth's and had been intrigued by it before, and as it was there on the nightstand I didn't think he would mind if I read a bit of it. He caught me reading it and told me to finish it before I spoke to him again."  
  
"So you read it and?"  
  
"I realised that the first dream I had had, the one that that book totally encapsulates, the one that sparked off all of those that followed was in fact no dream at all. It was the truth. I had wished Toby away to the Goblin King and in order to get Toby back I had to run Jareth's Labyrinth. When I had finished the book for a second time the veil that had hidden my true memories away lifted. I then knew that there was no way I could have dreamt all of those things, they would have had to have been real at some point, even 'my' imagination isn't that good."  
  
"Sarah, we are talking about a fantasy world here!"  
  
"I know, but how can it be fantasy when Jareth had that book written in order for me to remember why and how I had met him."  
  
"This could just be some kind of elaborate story, its not like we know Jareth is it."  
  
"Gary, please. There are only two people that know about my dreams, you are one, Jareth is the other and he was in possession of that book before I even told him."  
  
"You do realise what you are asking me to believe, don't you?"  
  
"Yes, I do. There are too many coincidences for it not to be the truth."  
  
"Have you read the inscription in the back?" Gary asked as he handed the book back to her open on that exact page.  
  
"No, I hadn't . oh Jareth!" Tears welled threatening to fall.  
  
"So what happened then? I mean you read a story like that and if had been you I would have been back in his arms."  
  
"That's what I wanted. I went to see him as soon as I had finished it the second time fully intending to do exactly that but he wouldn't hear of it. He told me there was more I needed to know and that I should sleep before he told me the rest. Yesterday morning after I had slept in his bed, in the bed that he had carved with that story," she said indicating the book again, "he told me about my second visit to the Underground. He basically said that because of his arrogance, conceitedness and selfishness he had called me to him, he assumed that I would accept his love for me on face value and had lied to me by getting his friend to take his position as King and stage his imprisonment in one of his oubliette's."  
  
"Oubliette?" Gary asked, confused.  
  
"An oubliette is somewhere you put people to forget about them. And apparently it was too much for me to handle seeing him like that. I was asked to run the Labyrinth again and if I beat it for a second time then I would be able to claim Jareth as my prize, this all being under the assumption that the Seelie Court had intervened because Jareth's love for me was making him a danger to himself and consequently the Labyrinth, as the Labyrinth is an extension of it's ruler.  
  
"He then went on to tell me that when I had found out that he had been lying to me I continued to solve the Labyrinth for a second time and when I confronted him about it I then told him that he had lost my trust, therefore I could never truly love him. He had told me that he only thought he needed to love me and everything would be okay, but I had gone off on one and eventually told him that I wished I had never met him."  
  
"Ah, so when you met him that night at the pub, you then couldn't understand how a man you had only ever seen in your dreams could be so fantastically close to those drawings of yours." Gary said, piecing together the information.  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"So why are you here? I mean I can't see any problem with that surely the two of you could have kissed and made up, and very well too by the sounds of it."  
  
Sarah smirked at Gary's appraisal. "Well at first I thought I could, the Jareth I know now is nothing like the Jareth I obviously knew before, and he went on to tell me that he now understood his punishment."  
  
"Go on!"  
  
"The Seelie Court sent him here to find me, so that I would fall in love with him again. They told him that he then had to tell me the story, and without the aid of his magic. If, after that, I stayed all well and good but if I left him he would have to return to the Underground and live an eternity never being able to forget me. He said he understood his punishment because in finding me he had found his teacher, someone who had cured him of his ills!"  
  
"Okay, but I still can't see a problem, here."  
  
"No, there isn't . not with any of that. This is the problem. I asked him about my dreams and he told me that when I dreamt he dreamt, and that whatever I dreamt about he would see too, like we had a link but he didn't understand how this link was working between us. That's the problem Gary, who the hell has instigated this link, and for what purpose. Does Jareth really love me or is this just some magician's idea of a sick joke, trying to make me go mad and lose Jareth his throne or something! And if Jareth doesn't know what's going on how can I be expected to believe any of it."  
  
"Do you remember this second encounter?"  
  
"Yeah, it all came to me yesterday, exactly as Jareth had told me."  
  
"So do you think that anybody close to him would want to take any revenge?"  
  
"There's only one person I could think of but that's just not possible. My friend Hoggle would love to kick Jareth in to touch but he knows how much I care about Jareth that he wouldn't do anything. He couldn't anyway, he isn't a magical being, and he's a coward."  
  
"Can you think of anyone else, anything else?"  
  
"No, I . wait there is something," she looked up at Gary, her mouth aghast. "The Labyrinth!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"The Labyrinth, why didn't I think of it before, it's an extension of Jareth. Maybe the Labyrinth felt threatened and did the only thing it could to make sure that Jareth kept his control."  
  
"You mean the link between you and Jareth is the Labyrinth. How can an inanimate object do any thing?"  
  
"Gary, remember the book, I was told on more than one occasion that nothing was as it seemed in the Labyrinth and it had the ability to move, it blocked me in on several occasions, it wasn't inanimate."  
  
"And you beat it twice!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You solved it twice, once to get your brother ."  
  
"And once to win Jareth . oh my god, what have I done?" Her eyes went wide with fright at the realisation, she should have trusted her instincts and Jareth but she had flown off the handle yet again and walked out on him. Not wanting to think of a logical explanation for the events that had transpired, when all she could do was think about her own selfish thoughts.  
  
"Sarah you are beginning to scare me."  
  
"Gary, I have to get back to Jareth. All of a sudden, I've got this nasty feeling that something is terribly wrong."  
  
"Get your coat, Sarah, I'm driving." 


	17. Finale

A/N: Thanks for the kind reviews that I have had and for those of you that have kept up with the story. I hope you not all too shattered that this is the final chapter and I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thanks again and don't forget to review!  
  
Disclaimer: Sarah, Jareth and all other mainstream characters from the Labyrinth do not belong to me.  
  
Synopsis: Sarah & Jareth have to prove their love for one another. Sarah runs the gauntlet again, but what will Jareth do?  
  
Everything I do  
  
Chapter 16 - Finale  
  
Gary drove Sarah back to the Cotswolds in record time and she didn't even wait for him to come to a complete stop before she had opened the passenger door and hopped out onto the road. She bounded up to the front door and banged her fists on the oak beams. By the time Gary had got to her she was banging again, obviously Jareth wanted to play games; he certainly wasn't rushing to unlock the door and let her in. She heard a movement from the other side of the barrier and banged again. "Come on Jareth," she breathed out, "Let me in!"  
  
But it wasn't Jareth that eventually opened the door it was Robert. She crossed the threshold and stood in the hallway glaring at the old man. "Where is he, Robert?"  
  
"What, Sarah?" He asked, hoping that the young woman in front of him would calm down a little.  
  
"Where is Jareth?"  
  
"He's gone! Jareth's gone! He up and went last night with only the clothes on his back, everything else he owned is upstairs."  
  
She couldn't believe he had gone. "Where has he gone?" She asked considerably quieter.  
  
"Don't know, know one does. He didn't even bother telling his parents and he never asked to go back to the Underground either."  
  
"But he's Fae, Robert. Surely they can track him or something."  
  
Robert shook his head, "No, he is living as a human now and he left his pendant upstairs with everything else."  
  
Sarah was bewildered, 'he must of thought I was never coming back', she decided. "But he always knew where I was!" She managed to get out before she started to sob. Gary placed his arms around her; he never thought he had seen her so lost. She had always had her dreams and hopes but it was almost as though she had nothing now.  
  
Robert placed his hand on her arm. "I think you best have a word with his parents, they are both upstairs trying to see if they can find any clues as to where he might be." She nodded absently and started up the stairs, Gary in tow. She led the way into Jareth's apartment listening out for where his parents may be. She heard the faint sound of voices coming from his bedroom and made her way there.  
  
The voices stopped as soon as she had crossed the entrance into the room. She stood still, looking over the two regal figures that occupied the space in front of his bed as they stood returning her gaze.  
  
His mother was the first to break the silence. She crossed the room extending her hand out to Sarah. "So this is the beautiful Sarah that my son has told me so much about. My dear, I am Queen Isabella and he," she said motioning to her husband, "is King Alfredo."  
  
Sarah took her hand and gently shook it, she then remembered she was in the presence of royalty and bowed her head quickly. Despite everything that happened she smiled at the Queen and was given a warm smile in return. "Hi, yeah, I'm Sarah Williams," she said, "oh, and that is my friend, Gary Lambert."  
  
Queen Isabella extended her hand to the gentleman that had entered the room behind Sarah, "Hello, Gary Lambert, I trust that you have been a good friend to both Jareth and Sarah."  
  
"I hope that they can both call me the best, your majesty!" Gary said, trying to be as charming as he could.  
  
"I think we would both prefer it if you would dispense with the ceremony. We are all friends here and we are all obviously very worried about Jareth. Please, let's just keep it simple, I think we would all appreciate that. Now Sarah, do you have any idea where Jareth could be."  
  
Sarah shook her head, "No! I'm sorry; he never mentioned anywhere that he would like to go or anything when he was here, he was always happy to tag along with my ideas!"  
  
"Mm, I thought as much, that's why he left his damned pendant here," his father said picking it up from its last resting place on the bed.  
  
"Does anybody know why he has gone?" Gary asked.  
  
Alfredo shrugged his shoulders as Isabella began to pace the room. All eyes turned to Sarah when she spoke up, "he's gone because he would rather live as a human and die here than spend the rest of eternity never being allowed to forget me. He has given up everything that he knows, given up his friends and family, given up his magic and renounced his throne because it would all be too painful for him to continue indefinitely without me. And I believe I know who or rather what will know where he is!"  
  
"Your going to say the Labyrinth aren't you!" Gary said bemused.  
  
She nodded, "Yes, the Labyrinth. I just worked it out, if ordinarily, a human can't be tracked by a Fae, how could Jareth always know where I was?"  
  
"Jareth, always knew where you were?" Isabella questioned.  
  
"Yes, I don't know how many times I saw him but it must have been nearly every week for years."  
  
"You saw him?" Alfredo asked.  
  
"Yes, when he was an owl, I often wondered why I had an owl for a stalker and now I know it was Jareth. Not only that, but we had a common link . my dreams. I think the Labyrinth was afraid that Jareth would destroy himself and in turn the Labyrinth because of Jareth's love for me. I think the Labyrinth kept our 'link' so that we would always be able to find one another because it believes, as does your Seelie Court that we are meant to be together. Even though the Labyrinth granted my wish, it obviously felt that Jareth needed to learn a lesson or two as well." She laughed brightly.  
  
"Hah, I told you, didn't I," Queen Isabella said, congratulating herself as she turned to her husband, "I knew this girl was smart."  
  
"You did my dear, you did," Alfredo returned and then addressed Sarah, "Well, milady, I think we better transport you to the Labyrinth so that you can find our son, oh and I think you may need this!" Throwing the pendant in the air Sarah caught it with ease and soon the four were standing in the familiar surrounds of Jareth's throne room, and delighted as she was to see Luther and the friends she remembered from her previous visits she quickly made her way to the foot of the staircase that led upwards to the Escher room and beyond.  
  
"We had our final face off in the Escher room the first time," Sarah remembered absently. "I think I am probably going to have to go there to get the result we are all looking for."  
  
They started up the stairs, followed by Luther and Sarah's 'band of brothers' but she stopped abruptly and turned on the step she was positioned on. "Thank you everyone for believing in me, for you all to have come this far with me means that you all care, in your own way," she said spying Hoggle, "but I have to do this on my own. I promise however, that when I find Jareth we will let you know that we are together and happy."  
  
Isabella quickly walked up the stair to stand directly in front of Sarah. She took Sarah into her embrace and kissed her cheek, then took the pendant that Sarah had been holding onto and placed it over her head to rest around her neck. "Thank you, Sarah, so very much. You cannot imagine what it is that you have done to our son and us in turn. Now go, quickly, find him and make him the happiest that you have ever known him to be, he may not have been worthy of you before but he has learnt his lesson and he is certainly better for it now. And there is no doubt that he will love you to the ends of the earth, for I have seen such a transformation in him that I never expected to see. He would truly lay down his life for you, my girl!"  
  
A tear sparkled as it quietly slipped down Sarah's cheek. She smiled at her prospective mother-in-law, "I know, thank you. I will make him happy and I know he will do the same for me." She started backward up the first step and then turned tail and flew up the remaining steps. She disappeared around the corner as she hit the last step as the stairwell opened out into a corridor. She hoped she would recall exactly where the Escher room was situated. An archway half way up the left wall seemed to open up a little so she moved toward it. She stepped through and realised she was in the right place. The staircases and archways stretched out in front of her in all directions as she smiled remembering her last experience she had had here. However, it was now seemingly lacking in Toby crawling around after the elusive crystal and Jareth chasing her and defying gravity.  
  
Thing was now she was here she wasn't quite sure what she had to do. She remembered running around quite a bit the last time she had been here not really getting anywhere and then what had she done? Hadn't she'd jumped? 'Yes,' she thought, 'I jumped off the ledge because I wanted to get to Toby, but I didn't; I fell and Jareth fell and we ended up on that piece of floating room together.'  
  
"That's it! I have to jump, I have to put myself at risk for Jareth and the Labyrinth will take me to where he is."  
  
She stood back from the edge slightly as she peered over; there was the hole at the centre with all of the colours of the rainbow swirling about below it. She gulped back her nervousness hoping that she wasn't going to miss and jumped for all she was worth. As her body descended through the hole she had an unusual feeling of being lighter than air as she floated about. Visions cascaded and collided as she twirled around deeper and deeper until she lightly touched down on what appeared to be grassland atop a rugged coastline.  
  
The wind whipped around her severely as she tried, in vain, to keep herself warm. She scanned the area that she had landed on realising that she had been here once before. Gary had tried to get her to understand some of the origins of English romance a bit and had brought her here, but she could only have wondered why when there really wasn't that much left to see, he had told her to try and use her imagination but it hadn't done her much good no matter how hard she had tried. Even with the guidebook set to the map grid she couldn't quite make out where the imposing castle of Tintagel had once stood.  
  
And now she stood in the middle of what she remembered to be the walled ladies garden, and again she tried to imagine Guinevere sitting amongst sweet smelling rose bushes as Arthur surveyed the land and sea around his island of Camelot. She should have known that Jareth would have come to somewhere like this. She stepped through the hole in the foot high wall squinting at the sun as it touched out from over the horizon. She held her hand over her eyes trying to shield them a bit whilst she surveyed the land before her looking for one man, her Jareth.  
  
She turned full circle and walked around to where a well had once been, it was higher ground there so she was able to make out a bit more of the rocky Cornish coastline. Then she saw him standing very close to the edge of the area where the main castle had once stood. He had his back to her looking out over the ocean as its current washed it up to the cliff face and back down the beach below. The wind rushed around him catching the back of his coat making it billow and rustling through the now short hairstyle that he had had ever since he had been Aboveground. All the while seemingly caught in some kind of musical trance played out by the wind and the crashing of the waves against the headland below them.  
  
Sarah walked over to where he was and stopped short by a couple of feet, she wanted to see if he would sense her being there but again it seemed like he was held fast. She stood there for what seemed like hours but in reality was only minutes, wondering whether to walk to the main gate and wait for him to come back that way or whether to tap him on his shoulder and probably scare him to his wits end. One thing was for sure she didn't want to scare him so much that he fell over the edge and to his death.  
  
A laugh filled the air around her, had she just heard him snigger? She looked at the back of his head in bewilderment, could he possibly know she was there and as if to quantify the fact he stated, "I know your there, Sarah."  
  
"How long have you known!" She asked, not really knowing if she wanted to be told.  
  
"Since you jumped!" He said turning around to look at her. "Why did you do that?"  
  
"Because it was the only way to find you, and I needed to find you Jareth, I had to claim my prize!"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I love you with all my heart, and I couldn't imagine ever being without you again, especially when I realised what force it was that was trying to keep us together."  
  
"The Labyrinth?"  
  
"Yes, Jareth, your Labyrinth!"  
  
"No, Sarah," Jareth said crossing the distance that she had left earlier on. He pulled her into an embrace and before he kissed her he said, "Our Labyrinth!"  
  
The embrace lasted for as long as each could stand considering the condition of the weather. Sarah huddled closer to Jareth's chest and suddenly remembered the necklace she now wore. "Jareth I have your pendant."  
  
He smiled at her as they began to walk back over the top of the outcrop. "Have you looked inside it yet?"  
  
"No, I wasn't aware it was like a locket."  
  
Jareth and Sarah stopped as he bent to open the small door at the centre; he brought it up to her face so that she could clearly see the small painting that was inside. "You see why I left it behind? If I couldn't have you I didn't even want a reminder of you. Your eyes always seemed to calm me but I always knew I would be able to see the real thing anytime I wanted to."  
  
"When you were the owl."  
  
"Yes," he nodded his head, "And obviously when we started dating too."  
  
She smiled and motioned for them to continue on their journey arm in arm. They were half way up the sheltered hill to the village when Sarah recalled the inscription in her book, their book she corrected mentally. "Jareth?"  
  
"Yes, my love."  
  
"I met your parents today."  
  
"And what did you think of them?"  
  
"I thought they were great, I only hope mine make the same kind of impression on you and I hope Toby doesn't remember what you tried to do to him."  
  
"I'm sure we will get along famously."  
  
"I hope so, I mean, Isabella and Alfredo seemed to be quite taken with their daughter-in-law," she noticed his eyebrows rise as she continued, amused at his reaction. "I hope dad can accept what you have been doing to me, especially when he maybe gains a grandson or granddaughter, and I'm sure Toby will love his new brother."  
  
"Darling, what are you trying to say?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"Yes? Sarah you're being very cryptic!"  
  
"Yes, I will make you the happiest of men, either Fae or Human, by becoming your bride and mother of our children and I will remain yours forever with all the love in my heart and soul."  
  
"So you read the inscription then?"  
  
"Not until earlier on today, when Gary showed it to me. But it gave me a reason to hope." Sarah got down on one knee and took Jareth's hands in her own. "I know this is a bit unconventional; Jareth, will you marry me?"  
  
Jareth pulled her into his arms and kissed her. He broke away from her long enough to say, "Yes," before resuming his attack on her.  
  
Sarah pulled away looking deeply into Jareth's eyes. "Do you have a room in the village?"  
  
"Yes, a guesthouse just up the road, the room overlooks the sea."  
  
"Jareth, I'm not really concerned about the view at the moment, I just want to be able to show you exactly how I am feeling and I need you to show me back."  
  
"I am your slave, milady!" Both grinned at the other, remembering Jareth's reference to their confrontation 15 years previously, both knowing that things would never be the same again, but both knowing that as long as they had each other they would be all powerful.  
  
Fin 


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